Anonymous wrote:Okay - so you stick to very, very factual, provable, objective statements. Your post here is rife with speculation (which is obviously fine for DCUM) but don’t include ANY of that. Project will fail if she’s not moved off? Speculation. She’s incompetent? Speculation. Say things like this:

Task A needs to be finished by Date for the project to be successful. It has three roughly even stages, and we’re still on stage one, so we are not on track to meet our deadline.

Task B is complete. However, it does not meet part Y of the requirements. So in order for B to work as planned, it will need to be redone.

Etc, etc. Make it very clear that as it stands now, you are not on tract to successfully complete the project.

Do not say ANYTHING that isn’t factually provable, but do not sugar coat. Details are your friend here. Do NOT worry about blame. People aren’t dumb, they’ll be able to see your competence. Trust that. Give the managers lots of space to ask questions, and if asked directly “well, whose responsibility was Task B” don’t hedge - say Larlo.

If you need to propose solutions, you do so to address the specific issue. “We need someone with more skills in Whatever to redo part B.” Not “we need Larlo off this project.”

THIS IS GOLD.

You tell your manager. This is part of your job. If you sit and let her fail and do nothing that becomes your fault too.

Agree with other PPs about being analytical about the state of the project. I would state something along the lines of...Since I have been here and had time to get into project ABC, I have some observations/evaluation of the deliverables. As I surmise, in order to meet the objectives of the project, XYZ need to be done/started/improved (what ever term suits the sitchuation best). Then break down what you are doing and ask them what their feedback and insight is into you handling more or delagating different componets of the project to another colleague.

Bring solutions to offer as you raise the concerns for the deficits you are currently challenging the successful completetion of the project.

Okay - so you stick to very, very factual, provable, objective statements. Your post here is rife with speculation (which is obviously fine for DCUM) but don’t include ANY of that. Project will fail if she’s not moved off? Speculation. She’s incompetent? Speculation. Say things like this:

Task A needs to be finished by Date for the project to be successful. It has three roughly even stages, and we’re still on stage one, so we are not on track to meet our deadline.

Task B is complete. However, it does not meet part Y of the requirements. So in order for B to work as planned, it will need to be redone.

Etc, etc. Make it very clear that as it stands now, you are not on tract to successfully complete the project.

Do not say ANYTHING that isn’t factually provable, but do not sugar coat. Details are your friend here. Do NOT worry about blame. People aren’t dumb, they’ll be able to see your competence. Trust that. Give the managers lots of space to ask questions, and if asked directly “well, whose responsibility was Task B” don’t hedge - say Larlo.

If you need to propose solutions, you do so to address the specific issue. “We need someone with more skills in Whatever to redo part B.” Not “we need Larlo off this project.”

I was in a similar situation. Newly recruited to work with a badly led project with some incompetents already on the team.
I could not say anything because it was obvious syncophantic fawning was what kept them there and was a job requirement.
I was so depressed for the year I worked there. As I predicted, the client did not renew the contract. I was let go but the company could not blame me for anything because I did my portion of the job and did not get involved in the work executed by the incompetents.

I would say to the OP to keep looking for another company if the incomptence is baked into this one.

Should I be circumspect and just point out the issues and the possible solutions and only vaguely hint that she can't/won't do those things?

You should point out the issues and say directly that the solution is bringing in an additional resource who has XYZ skills. If they mention the terrible coworker, simply say that she hasn't demonstrated the needed competency to get the project to the finish line. Practice your words in advance. Neutral and fair is your best bet here.

Let’s break this down. If the project fails it’s going to make you look bad. If you can salvage the project by having her replaced by someone competent the project may not fail. If you have to throw her under the bus to keep the project from failing that’s what you have to do. Both from a professional reputation perspective and to prevent the project from failing. Be honest in a very objective way. And bring receipts, show the evidence of the direction it’s going and why.

I'm new to the org, but a seasoned professional, and I was heavily recruited to work here. I don't want to give any details about the type of industry, except that it's a nonprofit with an informal work culture. I have three managers above me, but none are very hands on. I was hired to work on a particular project because of my particular portfolio, and we talked at length before I came on board, about everything from what I expected from them to what they could expect from me and exactly how I work. So....three months later, here I am and I'm working on the project and they've partnered me with a long-time employee - who is completely incompetent and has none of the skills or experience that we talked about being necessary before I was hired. Worse, it turns out she worked for my last employer shortly before I did, and was let go for this same incompetence (my former manager told me).

She is completely tanking this project and I am beside myself, angry and sad and disappointed. I cannot save it on my own, because the way it's structure I cannot do more than 50% of the tasks. Unfortunately, the nature of the thing will mean it won't be possible to tell that it was her fault and not mine when the project fails (which it absolutely will due to the way she is working it).

I asked for a meeting with all the managers and it is scheduled for next week. I still haven't decided how much to say and whether to throw her under the bus or not. I think they must know how bad she is, but I can't understand why they put her on this project or with me, when I was so careful to set out expectations for how the work would need to be completed.

Should I be blunt and tell them the project will fail if they don't take her off? Should I be circumspect and just point out the issues and the possible solutions and only vaguely hint that she can't/won't do those things? Should I avoid any mention of her at all and just concentrate on my part of the tasks and what I am doing, and hope that will help cover my ass when it all falls apart later?