Mon 24 May 2021
Don’t Let an Underperforming Coworker Drag You Down
Having a colleague who makes mistakes, misses deadlines, or just plain slacks off is more than a work-day frustration. It can negatively affect your performance and even your career. To keep your coworker’s underperformance from dragging you down, take steps to protect your professional reputation.
For example, if you and this colleague are collectively responsible for completing a project, make sure expectations and roles are clearly defined and documented upfront, and that your manager is aware of these agreements. This ensures that you won’t get blamed if your colleague fails to do their part, and ensures you'll get credit for holding up your end of the bargain. Also, look for ways to reduce your interdependence by requesting assignments that don't involve the slacker whenever possible. Your goal is to clearly demonstrate your competence so that your coworker’s performance doesn’t taint your reputation.
This tip is adapted from “When You’re Stuck Working with a Slacker,” by Rebecca Knight
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