Situation: A team of three is tasked (reason irrelevant) to move a table from one designated location to another every day. It's a mundane task, but necessary either way.
Problem: Out of the three, one goes to great lengths to moan, groan and heave (in front of the team leader who occasionally pops in to check that the table is moved and all three are indeed moving it.) when moving the table, but the other two know that it is barely for show. This Moaner is always there, at times even the earliest to be there, at the table, ready for the day's mundane task ahead. Yet the other two know that it might as well be a legless goat there for it would be just as useless in terms of helping to move the table. Technically, the Moaner is there, but the other two know for sure that he is hardly doing any more than placing his fingers at the table's edge.
Further clarification: Yes, the task is mundane, but not entirely pointless. The team leader has valid reasons for assigning this task to the team and it is not the only task they have to complete. It is merely one of many.
The conundrum: What do the other two do? What is the "respectable" and "effective" way of dealing with this situation?
- How could the other two notify the leader without sounding like jealous tattletales?
- How could they prove that the Moaner was indeed not pulling his fair weight? He is careful enough to make a show of his great "effort" whenever anybody of any higher title is present.
- Is "turning the other cheek" really an effective method or is it the only thing that can be done?
I like one person's suggestions the best so far: Punch the fella in the face and beat him senseless.
I mean, how can you win against these people? They are wise enough not to press major buttons and take advantage of people within their same level and especially people of "lower" levels. What action could you take that wouldn't put yourselves in trouble?
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