Everyone has dealt with
a credit-stealing coworker. And while wrestling
recognition for your hard work and bright ideas
from a glory-grabbing colleague can be tricky,
you can usually resolve the situation by
tactfully confronting the individual or, if that
fails, bringing the issue to the attention of
your manager.
But what do you do when
your boss -- the person who has significant
control over your career -- is the one taking
credit for your ideas? After all, being too
direct or going over his or her head can get you
into trouble. Following are a few strategies
that might help.
* Think
carefully before complaining. Let's say
you spent weeks devising a cost-efficiency
campaign that becomes a smashing success, but,
at a meeting with higher-ups, your boss takes
credit. You might feel slighted, but hold off on
raising a fuss. First, make sure you're the one
who truly deserves the credit. Even if you
proposed the idea, consider the role your boss
played in implementing the initiative -- he or
she may have done the heavy lifting.
In addition, think about
whether your manager's scene-stealing antics are
rare or standard operating procedure. If the
behavior is infrequent, it might be best to let
it go and accept that all employees, at times,
are expected to make the boss look good in front
of the company's top brass.
* Put it on
paper. If your supervisor often takes
your best ideas from private conversations and
passes them off as his or her own, consider
changing the way you share your suggestions. For
instance, you could present them in written
memos or email messages. This establishes a
paper or electronic trail you can reference
later during your performance review -- or if
your value to the organization is ever
questioned.
* Get a witness.
One way to ensure that others know a solution
originated with you is to unveil it publicly.
But whether you copy colleagues on an e-mail or
make your pitch at a meeting, be aware that
you're taking a risk. While it will be harder
for anyone else to take full credit if your plan
works, you're on the hook if it falls flat.
* Confront with
kindness. If your manager's actions are
hindering your advancement or limiting your
visibility within the company, it might be time
to speak up. But be tactful. Your boss will be
more receptive to the conversation if, instead
of taking an accusatory tone, you simply ask for
guidance on how to receive recognition for your
efforts. This enables you to get your point
across without pointing fingers or putting your
boss on the defensive.
Finally, in some
situations, you might determine that it's wisest
to say or do nothing about your supervisor's
"credit problem." While it can be frustrating to
watch your boss receive praise for your hard
work or brilliant concept, there is a bright
side: Your contributions and ideas are valuable
and helping the company succeed.
Robert Half International
is the world's first and largest specialized
staffing firm with a global network of more than
350 offices throughout North America, Europe,
Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more
information about our professional services,
please visit
rhi.com.