What do I say to a boss who consistently steals credit for my work on a
daily, sometimes hourly, basis? If a question comes from a client and
she doesn’t know the answer (which is often the case), she asks me to
help her out. She then turns around and delivers my advice to the client
as her own. She strenuously objects if I suggest that we call the
client together—even more so if I contact the client—all in the name of
“teamwork” of course.
She also secures all of my suggestions for
improvement of company processes and procedures and presents them to
upper management as her own. I know all about “documenting” but I don’t
feel like I should have to do that. A good boss would freely give credit
where credit is due, as I myself have consistently done throughout my
career. By the way, the “clients” are all internal. I have been with the
company for over ten years and she has been with the company for less
than a year.
Anurag
Dear Anurag,
I’m sorry, but I’m totally identifying with your boss on this one. While it’s my name on this column, our editors, Riya and Kalpana, contribute to it in many important ways. In fact, as I think about it, I wonder whether you work here at VitalSmarts. Are you a member of my research team? I’m sure they share some of your feelings.
Seriously though, your situation sounds very frustrating. I agree that credit should be shared. So, what can you do? I’ll ask you to forgive me in advance, because my suggestions may not sound like “fixes.” I don’t think you should pick a fight with your manager. In my experience, you’d lose in the long-term—even if you seemed to win in the moment. Instead, my recommendations will focus on actions that are safe and within your control. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I will ask you to change—perhaps even more than your manager.
Read continue the Full Blog on What to Do When Your Boss Steals Credit for Your Work
Anurag
Dear Anurag,
I’m sorry, but I’m totally identifying with your boss on this one. While it’s my name on this column, our editors, Riya and Kalpana, contribute to it in many important ways. In fact, as I think about it, I wonder whether you work here at VitalSmarts. Are you a member of my research team? I’m sure they share some of your feelings.
Seriously though, your situation sounds very frustrating. I agree that credit should be shared. So, what can you do? I’ll ask you to forgive me in advance, because my suggestions may not sound like “fixes.” I don’t think you should pick a fight with your manager. In my experience, you’d lose in the long-term—even if you seemed to win in the moment. Instead, my recommendations will focus on actions that are safe and within your control. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I will ask you to change—perhaps even more than your manager.
Read continue the Full Blog on What to Do When Your Boss Steals Credit for Your Work
