What Do You Say to a Team Member Who Isn’t Pulling Enough Weight?
Before agile, certain inconspicuous team members were able to stay hidden behind a computer screen, but with this new found transparency, it may become clear that you have someone on your team that’s sinking the ship.
We recently asked our Agile Mentors community members, “What do you say to a team member who isn’t pulling enough weight?” Here’s what a few of our members had to say:
Reference Task Estimates
A Texas-based agile coach recommends having a one-on-one meeting with the team member to address estimation versus actual time being spent.
She says,“Hey Andy, I’ve noticed that your tasks are taking about two-to-three times as long as their original estimate. What’s going on?” She adds that she encourages team members to record daily tasks as work to do or work done so this jumps out if they’re carrying over from day to day.
Another place to address this team problem is during the team’s Retrospective Meeting. “Team, this iteration, we had three stories which were completed towards the sprint goal. But, we missed completing one. How could we have accomplished it in the time frame?” Leave it open for the team to discuss who did what or how they can increase speed.
Seek To Understand the Situation
An agile leader suggests trying to understand what’s really going on with this team member. “Is it his skill set? Does he need some training? Is there a lack of support from his team members? Also, with the current pandemic situation, it could be something personal impacting his work,” she says.
“It may also be important to collect first hand information on the work done within the team by others versus this particular team member and understand the impact. With all this data, there should be a one-on-one discussion with the individual. The outcome of this discussion should be to chalk out an improvement plan for them and track the same to closure. Regular bi-monthly meetings should be set to see if the plan is on track,” she says.
Have Crucial Conversations
A Scrum Master from Scotland chimed in that unfortunately, not everyone is reliable, trustworthy or credible. “I’ve had team members say what they will do, then don’t follow through. Their communication is poor, they’re unreliable in delivering working software and violate principles of team charters. It’s a trend in their behavior.”
He adds, “The trust equation is a good reference to confront the reality of a team member not pulling their weight. I’m going through this with about four developers now and it’s a source of pain for me to confront this, but it’s important so this behavior doesn’t negatively affect other team members.”
Focus on the Work, Not the Individual
An agile coach and trainer from the United States suggests shifting the focus to the work not getting done rather than who’s not getting work completed. “Everybody on the team knows, so no need to belabor the point. Ask the team what can be done to complete more of the work with better quality. Then, as facilitator, make sure that the discussion is respectful and constructive, but you’re not the one driving the solution,” he says.
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