When colleagues take credit for your work, what do you do? Experts reveal strategies
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“An employee may want to look at their employer’s code of conduct or conflict resolution policies for guidance,” she noted.
“Generally, it’s recommended that an employee first approach the colleague directly. If employees don’t feel comfortable speaking face to face, they could send an email about their concerns.”
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However, if the co-worker does not admit to any wrongdoing or continually takes credit for another employee’s work, it’s recommended that an employee go to their manager, Chang emphasized.
Clarify your contributions in group settings
Stealing credit often happens in meetings, such as when a colleague passes off your idea as their own, said Melody Wilding, LMSW, an executive coach in New York, New York and author of the book “Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work.”
If you want to approach your coworker directly regarding the taking-credit issue, you may consider appealing to the person’s sense of justice and morality, said one job expert. (iStock / iStock)
“Chime in and say something like, ‘It was great collaborating on the project Jim mentioned. While his team led execution, our team was responsible for strategy and we’re so happy with the results.’”
Or if you prefer to clarify the credit after the fact, you can send a post-meeting email.
It’s appropriate, said Wilding, for an employee to summarize in writing or to clarify via email their particular contributions to a project.
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Taking your concerns a step further, if you want to approach your coworker directly regarding the taking-credit issue, Wilding said you may want to try to appeal to a sense of justice and morality.
For example, she proposed saying, “I’m sure you’ve been in situations when someone represented your idea as their own, so you know it doesn’t feel good. I hope you understand that’s the position I’m in right now.”
Take better precautions to protect your work
To reduce the likelihood that your work will be hijacked, Wilding said to consider revealing your best ideas in group settings versus in a one-on-one setting.
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Another tip: Jot down your ideas. “Document your ideas in memos and emails to create a paper trail,” she suggested.
And, when discussing your strategies with your team, don’t include every last detail of your idea.
While it might be hard to believe, failing to give credit to the right person might be an innocent mistake or a simple oversight, said one job expert. “Assume best intent until you have a reason not to.” (iStock / iStock)
“Something as simple as ‘I have a few thoughts about how to execute this’ can help you keep ownership,” Wilding said.
Remain in professional mode
While it might be hard to believe, failing to give credit might be an innocent mistake or a simple oversight, Wilding told FOX Business.
“Assume best intent until you have a reason not to,” Wilding continued.
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“Plus, you probably have to continue working with this person, so you want to do your best to keep your emotions in check and your relationship intact.”
Chang with the Society for Human Resource Management agreed the best course is to remain professional in workplace interactions, as your career image and reputation could be affected.
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“It’s important to remain professional because we operate in a collaborative environment,” Chang told FOX Business.
“If we experience conflict with a coworker, we’ll need to be able to maintain a working relationship. If we let our emotions get out of control, we could destroy the relationship, and potentially, our reputation as a professional.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle.
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