What to do with a slacking colleague

Just about every team has at least one member who seems to be coasting, relying on others to complete a project. What can we do about it? For starters, it's important to recognize that slacker coworker situations are often more complicated than they seem, writes University of Texas at Austin's Art Markman. More often than not, a slacking colleague may be dealing with situations that are keeping them from focusing on work, whether it's an outside personal dilemma or perhaps a skills deficit. The key is to find out the backstory first, before making assumptions about your coworker's character.