Ew... what's that smell? When team issues start to smell rotten - How to fix it

If you're like anybody in an Agile/Scrum or a Software or App Development team - like my team is (with low-code solutions through PowerApps) - you probably know that you've got ceremonies to ensure you cover the development process, you iterate, and you improve before things fail completely.

But not everything is smooth sailing sometimes, right?

Working in a remote team, it's important to address these awkward or annoying situations head-on, regularly, to ensure that you're not leading to situations that only happen due to team frustration or lack of motivation.

Before we proceed, here's a stinky fish I just generated with Dall-E:

I love how bad it is in every aspect, from the lack of accuracy of the fish to the team's eyes and face.

But this is enough to describe how this Chernobyl-fish can be bad for your team if it continues to go rotten without addressing it!

Every Sunday and Wednesday I write on Substack about Innovation and Intrapreneurship. But I really like Peerlist and it's more tech-oriented audience, so I can use a little bit of jargon and terms that make more sense for Tech people.

And I know that I can't really add value in improving your tech stack, or coding better. But I can maybe inspire you guys to look at your ceremonies with a fresh new face. Maybe you lead a team and could use the inspiration!

What is the "Stinky Fish"?

Imagine you’ve got a fish in your fridge that’s a little past its prime. It smells bad, but it’s hidden, and as long as you don’t deal with it, that smell is only going to get worse. In the context of a team, these “stinky fish” are the unresolved fears, doubts, or concerns that team members might be holding onto. They can be anything from project-related worries to personal frustrations with processes or roles.

The “Stinky Fish” exercise (invented by Gustavo Razzetti) is a space for each team member to air out those anxieties in a safe, structured way, so they don’t rot in the back of everyone’s mind.

And yes, it’s named this way to keep things lighthearted, but the purpose is real: this exercise lets everyone surface the stuff that can potentially hold the team back.

Setting Up the Stinky Fish Session

1. Create a Visual "Stinky Fish" Page. Or use mine!

   • Draw or use a digital image of a fish (the worse it looks, the better—it adds humor to a potentially heavy session).

   • Each team member gets their own fish template to note down their “stinky” thoughts.

2. Explain the Purpose.

   • Clarify that the point is not to complain for the sake of it but to share thoughts or concerns that might otherwise stay hidden.

   • It’s about clearing out mental roadblocks to help the team work better.

3. Everyone Gets 5–10 Minutes to Reflect and Write.

   • In each fish, ask your team to write down things like:

     • “What am I worried might happen?”

     • “What’s currently bugging me about how we’re working?”

     • “Is there something I don’t understand but don’t feel comfortable bringing up?”

   • Emphasize honesty and privacy. This is a safe space to share without judgment.

4. Open Sharing, But No Problem-Solving Yet.

   • Each person gets a chance to present their fish.

   • Keep it focused on listening—no jumping in to fix or defend anything right away.

   • Capture recurring themes to discuss later; if everyone’s mentioning bottlenecks in documentation or blockers in approval processes, it’s likely a real pain point.

5. Group the Stinky Fish.

   • After everyone shares, organize the feedback into categories: e.g., process frustrations, unclear roles, communication gaps.

   • This helps visualize which issues are widespread and which are specific to individuals.

6. Prioritize Key Themes and Brainstorm Solutions.

   • At this stage, start with the most common themes and invite solutions from the team.

   • Set up action items, assign follow-up responsibilities, and, importantly, agree to revisit these in a month or two to check on progress.

When to Use the Stinky Fish

The Stinky Fish is most effective when you’re dealing with:

• A newly formed team or a team that recently merged—People might hesitate to speak up with concerns in a new environment.

• A team that’s had a high-stakes sprint or project phase—Everyone might have different stressors after crunch time, and it’s valuable to surface those.

• Teams with communication gaps—Especially in remote setups, misunderstandings can pile up and become resentments over time.

• Teams noticing slipping engagement or motivation—When issues aren’t discussed openly, team members can start to feel disconnected or unvalued.

Why the Stinky Fish Works

The magic of the Stinky Fish exercise lies in its simplicity. Everyone has a chance to voice what’s bothering them in a straightforward, non-intimidating way, which often reveals issues we might not think to bring up in regular retros. Plus, it’s a shared experience in vulnerability—seeing that others have concerns too can be reassuring.

A few reflections from our last Stinky Fish session were around:

• Role clarity—People wanted clearer guidelines on how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.

• Communication pacing—Some felt bombarded with updates, while others felt left out of critical discussions.

• Process bottlenecks—A lot of us felt that certain processes were slowing down the sprint progress, leading to unnecessary frustrations.

The impact? Not only did we leave the session feeling lighter, but we had actionable items to address the most significant pain points right away.

Last thoughts:

If your team has ever been derailed by things left unsaid, this exercise could be the breath of fresh air you need!

It’s low-effort, practical, and ensures that hidden anxieties don’t pile up into bigger problems. And honestly, sometimes it’s just refreshing to acknowledge that not everything is perfect, but we’re all in it together to make it better.

So, next time you feel something lingering that no one’s talking about, give the Stinky Fish a shot. It could be the difference between a team that’s just “getting through it” and one that’s truly thriving. 🐟

Let me know if you'd like more informal, actionable tips (with templates) for team management, facilitation tips and how to collaborate better! I do them at work and I figure they can be shared to help others too!