Foot-dragger

A foot-dragger is a person who is habitually slow, lethargic, or reluctant in their actions, particularly when it comes to completing tasks or making progress. They often exhibit procrastination, a lack of urgency, and a tendency to delay or avoid commitments. This behavior can stem from various factors, including a lack of motivation, perfectionism, fear of failure, or underlying issues like depression or anxiety. Foot-draggers may be perceived as inefficient, unproductive, and frustrating to work with or rely upon. Their slow pace can impede group efforts, deadlines, and overall project success.

Foot-dragger meaning with examples

• Despite the urgent deadline, Mark, the resident foot-dragger, was leisurely organizing his desk. His colleagues often had to pick up his slack, exasperated by his slow and deliberate pace. His inability to complete tasks was well known and led to constant deadline issues, adding undue stress to the entire team.
• Sarah's reputation as a foot-dragger preceded her, making her late for most meetings. Her manager frequently had to adjust the schedules. Her consistent tardiness hampered project launches and created frustration among her coworkers, who always felt like they were waiting on her.
• The new construction project stalled repeatedly because of the project manager's reputation as a foot-dragger. Inspections and delivery of materials kept being delayed, making the project a mess. The delays added extra costs that began to severely impact project profitability and timelines.
• During the group project, John's tendency to be a foot-dragger meant that others had to repeatedly remind him of his responsibilities. The other students were often annoyed as they struggled to carry the project on their own, making for an uneven workload.
• As the deadline loomed, the team faced serious challenges due to Robert's known tendency to be a foot-dragger. His slow work ethic consistently caused delays, impacting the ability of other team members to effectively do their jobs. His attitude also became demoralizing.