Fun fact: I searched DDG for "brown ring of quality" and it returned Lucent Technology. Do with that what you will.

It's not better in consultancy, actually. I know a few good people who couldn't find work in any other companies in their field, and consultancy firms pay well but overwork their employees to the bone.

None of them could last more than a few months before deciding they'd had enough of companies and their illogical corporate strategies. Especially when it comes to companies that don't want to change their carbon footprint.

Honestly I can understand their rage. Seeing people who think they're right and refuse to change pains me too

Lol I found the only less competent people than the managers were the consultants they hired.

With one hilarious exception: at my first real programming gig I was left alone and I had created the sort of vastly overcomplicated, unmaintainable mess that newbie programmers always manage to create. My company brought in a highly-paid consultant who correctly identified the problem: me. Since I was a rock star, my managers laughed and sent the consultant packing and I was allowed to keep fucking things up for another year or so.