From workplaces, sports teams, and groups assembled for school projects, I have worked in teams throughout my whole life. While most of these teams have worked seamlessly, striving for our common goals, there are a few that are just not pleasant to work with. At one point in time, most experience a team with a “dead weight member”; someone who did not pull their weight whether it be through irresponsibility or just not pulling their weight. However, how exactly is one supposed to deal with this situation?
Comm 292 touches on subjects such as team dynamics, and what attributes to a fluidly working team. Referring to the 5-stage model of group development, my experience points to dead weight members likely being pointed out by the “performing” stage, when team cohesiveness matters the most, when it is likely to be too late to fix the issue. Fortune Magazine with the assistance of Kerry Patterson, co-founder of training and development firm VitalSmarts explores this topic in an article, stating that “people wait until they are fed up, and then they blow
their stack” (1), reflective of my experiences in groups dealing with a similar situation.
In dealing with a member like this Patterson explains that the best thing to do is to speak with the “errant teammate in private” and instead to “be curious, find how he sees the situation”. Under my assumption, this is to happen early on in the group stage, as my experience had seen non-contributing members being identified by the storming stage of group development. Reflectively, many groups during the in-class activity pertaining to conflict management brought this up. This can be related to the “climate of trust” needed for an effective team. Our textbook mentions that this climate is achieved by “feel[ing] that the team is capable of getting the task done” (2). If the problem is identified and worked at early on, then this climate has a better chance of being a reality, leading to a possibly effective team.
The best thing to do when dealing with a dead weight member is to identify them early on, and approach them instead of a superior regarding them. Sometimes there may be other circumstances that cause them to act that way, and by doing this you are increasing your chances at an effective team.
- Fisher, Anne. “Got a teammate who’s slacking off? Here’s what to do.” Fortune. 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 Feb. 2017. <Fisher, Anne. “Got a teammate who’s slacking off? Here’s what to do.” Fortune. 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 Feb. 2017.>
- Langton, Robbins, Judge, Organizational Behaviour, 7th edition, p. 128.