There's always one. The slacker. The bad apple. The person who never pulls his or her weight on the team. While the rest of the team is focused, trying to drive the vision and goals forward, this person is not contributing. And in some cases, the slacker can be holding your progress back—delaying the team in reaching sales goals or key benchmarks, or completing projects.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, follow these six strategies from business author Schuyler Richardson on how to deal with the slacker on your team.

Delay Your Judgment. Instead of showing your frustration, first be patient and wait to judge. Put yourself in that person's shoes. Maybe there is a reason why the person is not as responsive as he should be. Is he dealing with personal issues at home? Does he not have the right skills and is afraid to ask for help? Ask questions to determine if there is a real, specific issue that's causing the lack of contribution beyond just laziness and disengagement.

But Don't Wait Too Long. On the other end of the spectrum, you don't want to wait too long to take action. This is a mistake people make far too frequently, and it often ends up backfiring. If you've thought about things from the other individual's perspective and still can't justify his actions, then calmly confront the person. Don't do it in an accusatory tone. Instead, ask if there's something you can do to help them be more productive and successful.

Stop Covering For Them. When dealing with an underperforming co-worker, it's easy to step in and cover for them. After all, you want the work to be done right. It affects the entire team's success. By doing so, you are acknowledging that it's ok for the employee to slack off. Instead, don't offer help. Don't get involved. Set expectations that the work is their responsibility. They can either handle it or deal with the consequences.

Don't Let It Affect Your Performance. If you've spoken with the individual and you've also communicated the issues with your manager, then you need to let the process work. Stay focused on what you do best. Don't let the slacker distract you or negatively impact your own attitude.

Avoid Gossip And Slander. If the employee is affecting your job performance, he is probably having an impact on others as well. Don't get caught up in gossiping and complaining about the individual with other co-workers. And if co-workers complain to you, don't feed into the frenzy. Stay professional and keep the issue focused on the work. Simply state that you've addressed the person and your manager. Unless you supervise the person, you are not in a position to do anything further. They have to pull their own weight.

Source: Schuyler Richardson is a Greenville, South Carolina-based freelance writer, content marketer and ecommerce business owner. He is a frequent guest blogger, ghostwriter and contract content developer.