Ever had a teammate show up just in time to take credit but rarely pitch in during the grind? In this episode, we confront a subtle yet corrosive leadership challenge: the piggyback rider. These are the team members who contribute little but expertly manage up, claiming wins and dodging accountability, all while morale takes a hit.
We break down the evolutionary roots of this behavior, how modern work structures enable it, and why leaders often fall for the charm. More importantly, I share how you can spot the early warning signs and use evidence-based strategies to prevent team exploitation and performance decay.
If you want to build a culture where contribution, fairness, and trust thrive, this episode is for you. I’ll share practical tools to reinforce team accountability, expose flattery bias, and re-align incentives for collective success.
In this episode:
Evolutionary roots of freeloading and its impact
Identifying and dealing with piggyback riders
Coaching, consequences, and correction
Three takeaways to prevent freeloading
