Lazy, useless team members: What to do?

[Gonzo]

I need advice from the seasoned hard-asses on this board.

Currently working as a team of 4 contractors, 3 of us are clearly experts in our field and spend all day in busy, in depth conversations and activities creating the solution. We lead meetings with the permies and are worth every penny. The fourth does bugger all, his minimal skills, has clearly BS'd his CV to get there, has produced one diagram in 6 weeks and could be replaced by a cardboard cutout without any impact to the project.

Do we:
a) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him?
b) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him and offer to do his work for an increase in our rate?
c) Leave it to the permies to work it out for themselves, if they ever do?
d) Live and let live, it's not our problem, although it is sort of because i have to do his work for him.

What's the best path in this situation oh wise ones?

Are you certain on that point?

Another possibility is that they are well connected to someone in the organisation's hierarchy in which case if you could be making trouble for yourself if you take action without more carefully thinking it through.

[Gonzo]

Why is it *your* problem?

If you have dependencies on his deliverables raise it with your manager.

If he has no impact on you personally keep your nose out.

WHS

[Gibbon]

I need advice from the seasoned hard-asses on this board.

Currently working as a team of 4 contractors, 3 of us are clearly experts in our field and spend all day in busy, in depth conversations and activities creating the solution. We lead meetings with the permies and are worth every penny. The fourth does bugger all, his minimal skills, has clearly BS'd his CV to get there, has produced one diagram in 6 weeks and could be replaced by a cardboard cutout without any impact to the project.

Do we:
a) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him?
b) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him and offer to do his work for an increase in our rate?
c) Leave it to the permies to work it out for themselves, if they ever do?
d) Live and let live, it's not our problem, although it is sort of because i have to do his work for him.

What's the best path in this situation oh wise ones?

Well you could try and help him and if he picks it up then problem solved. If not then a least you tried.

Look at it this way, one day in the future you could be fighting for scraps of work and end up B'shting on your CV just to get some work. You wouldn't then want to go in somewhere where the other arrogant, unhelpful and selfish contractors are plotting behind your back.

[MarillionFan]

Well you could try and help him and if he picks it up then problem solved. If not then a least you tried.

Look at it this way, one day in the future you could be fighting for scraps of work and end up B'shting on your CV just to get some work. You wouldn't then want to go in somewhere where the other arrogant, unhelpful and selfish contractors are plotting behind your back.

Be nice to people on the way up, you'll never know when you need them on the way back down.

[Dallas]

Be nice to people on the way up, you'll never know when you need them on the way back down.

agree, if you feel you have to take action, separate out the tasks explicitly and evenly with deadlines, pop it in an email to all inc clientco, monitor and see who can deliver - just go very transparent on communication and responsibility, he'll show himself up soon enough.

Longer term though, its not your problem, better the devil you know, there is one in every village.

[jmo21]

Why is it *your* problem?

If you have dependencies on his deliverables raise it with your manager.

If he has no impact on you personally keep your nose out.

I had a similar problem, me and 2 other contractors, being dragged down by a 4th, who was just completely inexperienced, I don't think he'd lied on his CV, was just too junior.

We basically made it clear we were being slowed down to the permie lead, who surprisingly to us, tried to help the guy along for a few weeks, before eventually giving him the boot.

If it is not affecting me however, I wouldn't feel comfortable "telling" on him, even if it would help client co in long run.

[Diver]

Don't encourage the slackers and time wasters, it lowers the standards of the industry and reflects badly on everyone directly.
I don't tolerate slackers or incompetents on my teams and appreciate others that don't.
At the end of the day, we are only as good as the team as a whole, if some of you are willing to be second rate then so be it, but the rest of us have more pride in our work and value our worth to the clients.
That worth is reflected in the rates we charge or the Salaries we earn, and in our professional reputaions within the industry.

[psychocandy]

I need advice from the seasoned hard-asses on this board.

Currently working as a team of 4 contractors, 3 of us are clearly experts in our field and spend all day in busy, in depth conversations and activities creating the solution. We lead meetings with the permies and are worth every penny. The fourth does bugger all, his minimal skills, has clearly BS'd his CV to get there, has produced one diagram in 6 weeks and could be replaced by a cardboard cutout without any impact to the project.

Do we:
a) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him?
b) Point out his uselessness to the Clientco and get rid of him and offer to do his work for an increase in our rate?
c) Leave it to the permies to work it out for themselves, if they ever do?
d) Live and let live, it's not our problem, although it is sort of because i have to do his work for him.

What's the best path in this situation oh wise ones?

Feel strongly about this.

C). WTF has it got to do with you. As long as you're getting paid its got sod all to do with you. Not your problem.

I'm sorry but even if the guy is a blagger how far do you take? Do you suggest 'dobbing in' fellow contractors if they're not quite as good as you hoped. Not cool to mess with someone elses livelihood.

Dont act like a permie by getting involved in office politics and tittle-tattle.

[Paddy]

Why is it *your* problem?

If you have dependencies on his deliverables raise it with your manager.

If he has no impact on you personally keep your nose out.

+1

I never bother with what other contractors are up to or what rates they are on. Get on and do your work and invoice. If you start raising issues there are those people who will say that all contractors are the same and you will be tarred with the same brush.

[d000hg]

Currently working as a team of 4 contractors, 3 of us are clearly experts in our field ... The fourth does bugger all, his minimal skills, has clearly BS'd his CV to get there, has produced one diagram in 6 weeks and could be replaced by a cardboard cutout without any impact to the project.
...
What's the best path in this situation oh wise ones?

Keep your head down and hope nobody notices.