Student Team: How to deal with slackers

Group projects in school always kind of annoyed me primarily because I was being graded on someone else's failure or success. This is often explained away as "simulating what it would be like to work in a team environment". They're not wrong. Once you enter the business sector, you will often be placed on a team, and you will run into these same problems. However, in getting my own degree I decided I wasn't going to fall victim to anyone else's nonsense.

Problem 1: Team mates don't know anything... at all
You will always have these individuals whom I refer to as "dead weight". They mean well, they try their best, but in the end they simply will never measure up fully. Whenever I was saddled with one of them, I tended to look at it in a business context. Most of the time they tend to be very hard working and dedicated individuals who will follow instructions beautifully. Use them as such. Give them guided work and explicit instructions. Take the leadership role they are not prepared for and get the most work out of them that progresses the team.

Problem 2: Not meeting deadlines
Another business topic for which there is no excuse. The difference here is that in school you're not being paid for it (grades maybe, but some people just don't care if they get a C). It's not as important to them as it is to you. You'll find this in business as well. This is more dead weight, and you need to be prepared for it. In business, often a team member will be "thrown under the bus" for not meeting objectives. In school this just doesn't fly. You need to identify these individuals and "count them out". Do their work for them, keep it behind the scenes, and when the individual doesn't come through you'll still be prepared for a good grade. It means more work for you, but you will almost never get a failing grade for completing the work. When I got my degree, I didn't have time to waste on people who were wasting it. I did every aspect of a project solo. When my teammates held up their end, I tossed my extra work aside. When they didn't, we still passed. The problem it's caused for me in business is that I tend to adopt the same attitude when I identify these individuals, and so I do more work than I should have to (and some of it gets thrown out).

Problem 3: Total dependence on me
Stop giving them answers. Teach them how to find or divine the answer for themselves. Ask them what they've done, where did it lead them, what does the research tell them. Lead them to the answer and after a couple of tries they'll start figuring things out on their own.

Problem 4: "Rockstars" and Hot-air balloons
You won't ever get past these individuals. It took me a year to crack one I met in the business world. In school you don't have a year. I treat these individuals as if they weren't doing their work at all most of the time. That way when their pieces fall short, I have a backup plan. In the business world, we do team level peer reviews designed to teach technique, refute assumption and change habits. "Rockstars" tend to become kittens once they realize their work must withstand scrutiny from a group rather than an individual.

Problem 5: They are not afraid to fail
Hard work and dedication to your goal is the only thing you can guarantee. If you can't get good team members on group projects, then you must assume the responsibility for yourself to complete your goal. In the business world, there is generally recourse through management when something like this occurs. In school there just isn't time. Be true and committed to your goal, and no one will stand in your way.

This is your chance to learn leadership and direction. You don't need to "manage" them, you need to lead them. You won't make friends of them, and frankly if your goal is a degree then there is no room for friends. Set goals and expectations and hold people to these goals. Make sure everyone knows about these expectations. When they aren't met, announce this to the team. Don't become angry about it, don't plot to get even or to shame anyone explicitly. Fill in the gaps yourself, and get the job done. Sure, someone else will earn a free grade off your labor, but should that really concern you? The group project is temporary, but your continued success will always be there. Their failures will begin to pile up on themselves eventually.

This may back-fire on you. I had people in school who would request to be teamed with me because they knew it was their chance to slack. What they weren't prepared for was my dedication to my goal and what it meant to let me down. I woke several people up after midnight a few times (banging on doors sometimes) demanding that work be complete. I made some people VERY miserable for not living up to my expectations. For those that did keep up and pulled their end, we became friends and tried to work together as often as possible.

The answer to your question ultimately becomes: Your level of commitment to your goal will determine your success. I achieved a 4 year degree in 2.5 years by taking a heavy course load and summer sessions. It all boils down to commitment.