Reply to: Lazy, useless team members: What to do?

[EternalOptimist]

It's a tricky one. Someone might be taking you down with them, but you might be putting your own head on the block if you turn states evidence.
I had this on my very first contract, guy was rubbish.
I get round it by writing anonymous stuff on the bog walls. This guy was hauled into the PM's office and faced directly with the allegations
'Is it true you are a stinky-bum plop plop pants ?'
He didnt really have an answer, so they booted him out, damn freeloader

[SupremeSpod]

Several times over my contracting career, I have been asked my opinion of another contractor by clientco.
If they are asking that question, then they must have concerns. I give an honest answer about their technical abilities, and so far they've always been right to question.
I'm in a niche market and have many years experience in my area. I am honest on my CV and I work hard.
I expect other contractors to do the same - unless of course there's nothing to do!

The key point there has been highlighted.

[Pogle]

Several times over my contracting career, I have been asked my opinion of another contractor by clientco.
If they are asking that question, then they must have concerns. I give an honest answer about their technical abilities, and so far they've always been right to question.
I'm in a niche market and have many years experience in my area. I am honest on my CV and I work hard.
I expect other contractors to do the same - unless of course there's nothing to do!

[oscarose]

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?

HTH

[Diver]

Yeah, he buys donuts. You only make the coffee...

Would you trust him to make the coffee?

[cojak]

So you've forgiven him already?

Yeah, he buys donuts. You only make the coffee...

[Jog On]

Do you reckon he'll make it in California?

For a while, until he gets either banged up or knocked off.

[Diver]

Collecting a bonus!?

That's ******* permie talk!

That's because I'm a permie now (who works fom home most of the time)

[Old Greg]

I got someone binned once. It was more a knocking over of the first domino in a stack that fell very quickly.

We were billing by the hour and the guy was rolling in at 11 am but billing from 6-7 am every day. He'd disappear for hours on end for what turns out we're coke deals he was doing.

He did nothing and expected us to carry him. PM would email him a task and he'd doctor it and forward it on to me to make it look like PM had emailed the task to me..

Had no intention of pulling any of his weight and expected to bill for more than us while getting us to do his work. Outing him was a joint effort but it was me who lit the fuse.

I'd do it again in a heart beat. This guy was a chancer and a risk to the project.

Do you reckon he'll make it in California?

[Mich the Tester]

That's acceptable.

So you've forgiven him already?

[russell]

I got someone binned once. It was more a knocking over of the first domino in a stack that fell very quickly.

We were billing by the hour and the guy was rolling in at 11 am but billing from 6-7 am every day. He'd disappear for hours on end for what turns out we're coke deals he was doing.

He did nothing and expected us to carry him. PM would email him a task and he'd doctor it and forward it on to me to make it look like PM had emailed the task to me..

Had no intention of pulling any of his weight and expected to bill for more than us while getting us to do his work. Outing him was a joint effort but it was me who lit the fuse.

I'd do it again in a heart beat. This guy was a chancer and a risk to the project.

That's acceptable.

[Jog On]

I got someone binned once. It was more a knocking over of the first domino in a stack that fell very quickly.

We were billing by the hour and the guy was rolling in at 11 am but billing from 6-7 am every day. He'd disappear for hours on end for what turns out we're coke deals he was doing.

He did nothing and expected us to carry him. PM would email him a task and he'd doctor it and forward it on to me to make it look like PM had emailed the task to me..

Had no intention of pulling any of his weight and expected to bill for more than us while getting us to do his work. Outing him was a joint effort but it was me who lit the fuse.

I'd do it again in a heart beat. This guy was a chancer and a risk to the project.

[russell]

try three times that figure + Bonuses

Now who's laughing

Boasting about 90k a year , I remember the days I was only earning that.

[BolshieBastard]

I am also a senior engineering consultant

and if you think that's all a project manager does, then it's obvious that you don't know what a project manager does and are doomed to be one of the little people forever

+You forgot the best bits

Sacking incompetents
Sacking freeloaders
Blacklisting wasters
Collecting my overinflated Salary
Collecting my Bonuses (earned off the backs of the proles)

Collecting a bonus!?

That's ******* permie talk!

[Diver]

That badly spelled line is the only true one. 30k a year for surfing the web all day sure is overinflated

try three times that figure + Bonuses

Now who's laughing