Feeling Stuck: How Do You Handle a Supervisor Taking Credit for Your Work?

Dear All,

There have been many similar instances with everyone on this ground. Similarly, I want to share my issue with my supervisor and expect your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback.

I have recently joined my current organization as an Officer in HRD. My manager was very supportive in the initial days. Now that she has understood my caliber, she deliberately does not allow me to grow further. I have realized that she does not have any experience in HRD (training and development) and was promoted as Manager 2 months back before my joining due to her good relations with the management.

Whereas, I hold 4 years of experience in training and have incorporated many new procedures in the department. The major issue she creates is that, whatever hard work I put in, she would never address those to the management on my behalf. She takes the credit and shows it to the management as her work.

She even told me that in this organization, we do not have the culture of officers going to the Director HR (our supervisor) directly. Now, whatever task I do, she takes it to the Director and never includes me in any loop for HRD related matters.

Please suggest your thoughts on this.

How to deal with such situations?

Hi,

Today you would find 90% of the managers doing the same thing. The reason is they also have to survive, but there is a positive aspect as well. When we do something wrong, they are the ones who hear about it from the top level. Yes, the same thing can also come back to you.

What I believe is to keep doing our work with full dedication and measure your performance during the appraisal. If you receive the hike and promotion you expect, or at least close to your expectations, then consider staying with the organization or looking for other opportunities.

Regards,
Raju

Is she your HOD too? Please make a task list. No matter if she doesn't like it, create a task list with work done by you, reviewed by whom, start and end dates, and every weekend send it to your boss, marking a cc to any higher authority. Address that report to your boss. She may not like it initially, but management will appreciate your initiative, and you might end up having this system for everyone. You may later establish a system where anything created or done by "x" person is reviewed by "y" and verified by "z."

Hi Sonali,

This way looks a little difficult. I will tell you why. We had an employee who had a similar problem. He was asked not to send emails to higher-ups and to send all the emails to him, and he would convey them to higher-ups. But 1 or 2 times, the employee tried to mark CC to the higher-ups, despite the Manager asking him not to do so. However, nothing happened, and the employee, unfortunately, had to lose the job. He is my very good friend, and every problem that he used to face was known to me, which I used to discuss with my Manager just to ensure he is informed. In case the manager tries to play any game, then we can save him since he was a good hard worker. But nothing works in corporate; the manager gave us the reason that the cost of this guy is very high. The group head also said the same thing, and despite us telling the whole story, the group decided to release him. Unfortunately, I and my manager, being in HR, knowing all the problems, also could not help him.

So, the summary is it is a lot riskier to do such things as you may lose the job in this type of dull market.

Play safe. Best of Luck.

Love your job, not the company.

Regards,

Raju

Thank you for your responses.

Well, she is my HoD as well, so she has not left any scope for me. As shared by Raju, she does not allow me to send any official mails to our supervisor (Director HR). She doesn't allow me to go to his cabin. To add more, she does not allow me to send mails to all the employees on the small weekly games which I organize. I set up everything, but she sends the mail to all.

Hey, can you let me know your name? Sending emails to employees is a small thing, man. Don't think about it. You said you organize weekly games; there you have to show your work. People around you would observe.

Hi Raju, my name is Manisha. Yes, that is the matter which really irritates me because once I prepare the game (basically a quiz), she does not allow me to send the email to all the employees. Instead, she wants me to send the email to her, and she would send it to all. Once I asked her when I would start sending this, to which she said she would let me know later. I don't know what she is up to; it is really irritating at times.

Hello Manisha,

I find it awful to see you in a situation where the manager holds you back for not improving. The feelings, indeed, I suppose, are really terrible. The actual situation you have right now is, in fact, not healthy. The point of you forwarding your work seems to be that you expect an immediate response. I know it sounds right that you want feedback, but does she provide it?

Secondly, the relationship I see you have as an employee with your unit is having trouble getting along with the manager. The statement you mentioned earlier led me to this assumption (he/she was okay in the initial days)... But anyway, managers honestly have their thoughts, and most of the time, you will not find them reasonable.

What I see in this situation is that your manager has drawn a line on how you are dealing with your work. She is making moves that irritate you, and honestly, there is a reason behind it. I suggest sorting out your time and your relationship with her, which would mean productivity in the future. Good luck!

Dear [Name],

She is your immediate boss, and you are reporting to her. So, please follow her and learn good things. Forget about the bad, cooperate with her, and if not, it may be better to look for a new job.

Regards,
Rams

Hi Manisha,

In my opinion, it's better for you to perform your job with utmost sincerity and wait for some more time. I know it's going to be the most painful situation for you, but I believe that one day your work will be recognized by Management if you are a real performer. It's actually not advisable to take any stringent steps as of now as the recession has badly hit HR jobs as well.

Also, keep yourself updated and try searching for other opportunities. Once you get the offer letter, you can express your distress with the management. In case you get a positive response, leaving or continuing this job will be at your discretion. Don't forget to convey this issue during your exit interview in case you quit your job.

Best Regards!

Hi,

Even I am facing the same situation. I agree with you, Piyush, but when you join a new company, then you are new to the people and the system as well. You do not know who is what and who is where actually, so you don't know the powers that your supervisor has.

I don't know how to manage. :-(

Neha

Even I am in somewhat the same situation as my boss took all the credit for my work and also spoiled my image in front of my VP. So, I would suggest that if you love your job and if this is your necessity, then just do your work. I have almost lost my job because of fighting against this, so be calm and handle the situation in a cool way. I understand it is not an easy task, but losing your job is even worse. The silver lining is that I have another job, and this learning will remain with me throughout. :-P

I have a different opinion on this issue. According to me, one should not feel bad about all these because in the present scenario, it is expected everywhere. So, we should keep doing hard work, and I believe the day will definitely come when the management and even colleagues of your company come to know what potential you have in yourself.

"There is always a bright ray of light after the end of every dark night."

Hi there,

Avoid giving your ideas in words, writing, ppt, or .doc format; instead, convert them into .pdf with restricted rights to copy, print, and edit.

Try to carry your signature on all pages of your presentation in PDF. Make it your format. Create a log file for all your ideas and presentations that you forward.

Capitalize critical deadlines and implement this consistently.

Select a few staff members and try to gain insight into the happenings in their departments so that you can better understand new developments in the streamline. By doing so, you will generate more ideas than by solely attending management meetings, as our work depends on the needs of other departments and on human and technological requirements.

In the meantime, try to maintain a friendly smile when interacting with management personnel during office hours, parties, and outings.

Initiate a Management Personality Development program. As you formulate the agenda and take the lead, you will surely become noticed by management.

All the best.

Best Regards,

Priya

Thank you all for your valuable comments. I will surely take up this way.

Based on Priya's suggestion, what I want to add is that she just sits next to me and asks me to do it ASAP on Excel or Word. I cannot do the work on PDF because the PDF converter is not installed, nor would the management or she allow me to do so. This right is given to Managers and above only.

Also, whenever I add my signature to any task, she immediately deletes my signature and puts hers onto it and forwards it. Now, no one other than her would know that the task was done by me :(

This way, it is pretty difficult to come to the office every day. Apart from work, I handle many extracurricular activities like the newsletter. The entire proofreading is done by me, but it goes in her name.

Another important concern is that for any HRD-related emails sent to the management, she never keeps me on copy. When I asked her, she said she always forgets to do that. Now she has adopted a better option. (Mine is a Korean company, and she is well-versed in the language.) Our management, being Koreans, she sends all the emails in Korean language, so now she has a valid point for not adding me in CC. After any training, I conduct the entire evaluation with the findings, but she sends it from her end.

I am also planning to give this scenario some time. Me being new to this organization does not have much voice. Let me give it 2-3 months more. If things remain the same, I may go and speak to the Director of HR once and raise my concerns.

What is your opinion on this?

Also, I have organized a training session on personality development in the first month of my joining. But the worst part was the entire module was created by me. As usual, she took it to the management as her work. Came back asked me to prepare for the training. On the day of the training, she told me she would take the training and I would only coordinate for the games I have planned. I got really upset and told her where she said, "We are going too fast. You must take some more time." Even during the training, I was given very little topic to take.

As Priya said, I have already taken such sessions with the intention of coming into the limelight, but nothing worked out that way as well. :(

Couldn't the doc be password protected.

<<In the meanwhile, try to have a friendly smile on your face as you happen to see the management people during office hours, parties, and outings. Try to initiate a "Management Personality Development Programme" and as you formulate the agenda and take it over, you would surely get into their sight. It's not just a training; you, along with an external trainer, could conduct it, stating that it's for managers and managers could not conduct it!!!

Newsletter after proofreading? Would it be in .doc format?

Regards, Priya

Hi there,

In the meantime, try to be friendly with her. Do not confront her for what she has done and is doing. During her absence (as she will certainly be taking time off), you can make plans to showcase your abilities. Try approaching tasks differently so that we hope you will not lose ground but instead gain credibility. Don't fully disclose your concept and methodology, as when she faces management, she may not execute it well and may attempt to replicate it next time to outperform you. If nothing seems to be working out, take this as a valuable lesson on how not to manage like her.

All the best.

Best Regards,
Priya

But Priya, when she is not giving me a chance to outperform her, how would I be able to do it? Now, for any training proposal, it must go through her, even if she is on leave. It must be communicated to her, and she says once she is back, then she will only forward it.

I am in good terms with her only. I am always keeping a smiling face, but you see I cannot pretend for long, so I stay mum.

Also, with regard to the manager taking trainings - we have already organized a leadership training from an external vendor. My manager also attended that training (even I attended it as part of the HRD team), but no results on her!

Also, the personality development session which you are talking about was taken till level 2 employees. For all managerial sessions, we call outside vendors only. So, till Level 2 trainings, she can very well take the session, and I cannot stop her on that.

Yes, Rajesh, I do agree with what you are saying. But to what extent can anybody tolerate this behavior? I admit that hard work pays its return, and I myself believe in this. However, as long as she is here, my hard work is only shown in front of her, and she makes sure it is not shared with others in the organization. Being a tenured employee (2.5 years), she always has an upper hand!

"I have a different opinion on this issue. According to me, one should not feel bad about all these because in the present scenario, it is expected everywhere. So we should keep doing hard work, and I believe the day will definitely come when management and even colleagues of your company come to know what potential you have in yourself.

"THERE IS ALWAYS A BRIGHT RAY OF LIGHT AFTER THE END OF EVERY DARK NIGHT"

Hi Manisha,

I assume that there exists a vast age difference between you and your immediate superior. If the answer is yes, please ignore the happenings. A day is definitely waiting for you (not far off), and your capabilities will be duly recognized by your management. If my above assumption is wrong and if I were in your shoes, I would do the assigned duties, however trivial they may be. I shall record the same for my records, send the reports on a regular basis, and solicit her views on jobs completed. I shall not feel if I am not receiving any comments on the completed job assigned as per the report. I shall not create politics by discussing with other/same department colleagues. But I strongly believe that "those who wait will always get better." Please remember we are not working for a single individual as we work for our organization. These issues are like bubbles; quickly, they will burst.

Regards,
Srinivas B

What you have stated is the order of the day. Please control your anger and try not to antagonize your supervisor. Pull up all your socks and try to go along with her. You are so young and time and opportunity come your way. Clouds can hide the sun's brightness only for a while, and finally, the sun shines. So, please concentrate on your work and not on your supervisor. I fully agree with Priya's views. Have patience, please.

Hi Manisha,

I have also gone through a similar experience. I worked in such an environment for almost 2 years. I eventually approached my HR manager to request a department change, as I did not see any opportunities for advancement in my current role.

However, my manager was reluctant to let me go as I was a key performer in my department. Consequently, I made the decision to resign from my position.

I recommend that you start exploring other job opportunities. Once you secure another option, you can then consider resigning from your current role.

Best wishes.

I presume it is an Indian company. I feel you should start looking for a better job. The day it is confirmed, you can make an effort to go to your present MD or chairman and tell him about your HR head. This action may ruin her image, but things may change.

Manisha,

Quitting jobs and complaining about your superior while leaving the job are all temporary solutions to your problems, causing permanent hardships. Trying to find permanent solutions would only help you. Suppose if you could find the same situation in a new company, would you quit? Furthermore, you have only said that your superior was very kind in the initial days. So, go for a soul search to understand what your actions, like gossiping about her, have precipitated. Being in the same department, she should have selected you for this job. If she was jealous, she could have screened you at the resume viewing stage itself. On the other hand, you should win her confidence so that when she moves up, she will definitely recommend you for her post. Best of luck!

Dear Manisha,

I was very upset to know the situation in which you are managing every day. But such a situation, in today's competitive field, prevails in almost all firms, big or small. It's good to experience such a situation in the early stage of a career and considered as good learning.

In today's competitive world, some people enjoy competition through creativity, hard work, smart work, etc. There are also opportunists/incapable/oversmart people who are good at encashing others' credit on their account, even though they hear their inner voice saying, "Today or tomorrow it will prove the fact/truth."

However, your present situation is uncontrollable, and if it cannot be controlled or changed, then the other option available is to change yourself to manage it.

It seems you know your job very well, hence you love it. Therefore, it's my humble suggestion that you please continue it until you have a better opportunity in hand.

It seems that your boss is easily manageable by you as you only mentioned that initially she was supportive. But later, it is quite obvious that, perhaps, your enthusiasm/overexposure in the departmental activities posed some fear in her way of operating and thus changed the situation.

Also, it is said that every organization has its own culture. To understand and get molded into that culture, initially, it takes time for every individual. During that period, there is an opportunity to develop good (not goody) relations/rapport with inter/intra-departmental people to carry out our tasks in line with organizational goals.

It is learned that relationships play a vital role in any organization, which is stated as follows:

(R1 = R2 + R3) ...... R1= RESULT, R2= RELATIONSHIP & R3 = RESOURCES)

In Marathi, it is said, "Hatti hovoon Lakdae phodnnyapeksha Mungi Hovoon sakhar Khanne Kevhahi phayadyache" (Instead of having a tussle unnecessarily with a tough/rigid person, it is better to serve our purpose in a humble way that is beneficial. Even without "wish and will," praising a disliked person for the time being will not cost anything. After all, it's a question of 8 hours a day which makes the rest of OUR 16 hours tension-free and enjoyable with our near and dear ones.

To communicate with top management through your boss, it may be tried that documents on your own initiatives/ own creative work, etc., are marked in the footer as "Compiled by Ms. Manisha" and may also be "Approved by: Ms. xyz (your boss's name).

Regards and all the best for you, Manisha.

From Vilas P Tambe

Thank you all for your valuable comments! Really appreciate your efforts!

I don't want to search for a new job because my employment history will be questioned. I am trying to cope up with her and trying to be nice and sincere. I do not have anger... I am frustrated with the entire situation. The company has not appointed me at an Executive level; hence, the cadre I have is equivalent to a lead, so definitely, my manager should understand the fact that I am not a fresher and should treat me accordingly. She treats me like a fresher (maybe) because whenever I ask her "when will I start sending it," she would say "I will let you know we are going too fast" and very cleverly she would forward the same mail to the management. Now if she has recruited me at this level, she should acknowledge the fact that I have the experience and knowledge to make decisions and at least start sending initial mails to the employees.

When will she start believing in me?

Please share your thoughts.

Regards,

Manisha

Dear Monisha,

The thing is that she might have a fear that if something goes wrong because of your direct mails, employees/management would retreat her. Whatever the case may be, keep watching for the sunshine to make hay out of it. Meanwhile, go along with her on good terms and learn the positive (if any) points from her so that it will be of use to you if you consider switching to other avenues. Best of luck!

I guess you should save some nice ideas to discuss during important meetings with higher officials and win their support to make the sail easier for you. Do you come into contact with them at some point, right? Is there a grievance handling system in place? Make sure the senior guys get to know about it. It is totally unethical, and you need to put an end to it. Hold a discussion with the supervisor herself too. I'm sure you'll find some respite! Good luck.

Dear All,

One of my friends has come across the same kind of problem. Initially, he wanted her to organize everything. Later, once he came to know about her caliber, he never allowed her to showcase her abilities. He always acted as a significant barrier and a great challenge to her job. Every time, he steals some kind of approach and presents it as his own job to senior management. Finally, she kept on track and exposed only half of the job to him. She also cc'd the supervisor's supervisor when emailing him. At one point, they discovered who was actually working and who was not. Keep in mind, people can steal ideas, but they can't sustain it for a long time. So, never expose your ideas to him. Stay active and showcase your skills whenever you get the chance.

Regards,
Suba

Dear Pal,

I had faced a similar situation. I had the caliber to handle all HR activities. I was savvy in Labour Laws, capable of titling allowances for employees so that the IT burden could be reduced. For example, Medical Allowance (Reimb.), HRA Helper Allowance, HRA, etc. I knew what could be considered under IT, what could be exempted, IT calculation along with sections, and Compensation/Payroll, ESI, PF, PT, Bonus, LTA, etc. This knowledge was known only to me. Directors used to call me repeatedly. All the employees used to reach out to me for any queries related to salary, allowances, ways to reduce IT, or profitable investments like Equity shares, as our Manager lacked even 50% of my knowledge. I was well-versed in statutory provisions. CFO, other department managers were also in touch with me rather than the Manager - HR. He advised me many times not to get directly involved so that he could handle such matters. However, the Directors, CFO, and other department managers preferred to communicate with me. Although I was not a Manager, I could handle things independently. I was considered as a Manager. He remained as the Admin Manager, even though he headed the HR department. He tried to tarnish my image in the eyes of the MD, but as others regularly contacted me for HR matters, he couldn't do much. I realized that other managers and the CFO were trying to elevate my position while diminishing the HR Manager's role. I utilized the situation to my advantage. There was a time when I was threatened with termination, but I identified the differences between the CFO, other managers, and the HR Manager, which proved to be helpful in the long run. It helped me grow professionally. Eventually, the situation shifted, and he had to come to me for assistance rather than the other way around. The key is to be strategic in HR; you have to be like Chanakya. Recognize the differences between your superiors and build strong relationships with those in higher positions. Keep trying persistently, and the dynamics will change in your favor. Your position will evolve to the extent that your supervisor will seek your help with operations.

Best regards,
Sathish

This is Manisha. I started this thread long back in 2009, and I am very happy to write this to all of you who were there with me during these discussions and gave strength and insights to tackle the situation. I was just going through my previous threads and it caught my attention.

I want to happily inform all who were present in this forum that I managed to cope with the situation, and within a few months, things turned around. Management did realize my caliber and, after about 9 months, asked me to leave. I was the only one then in the HRD department taking care of the entire organization. The management was pleased with my performance and shifted me to the HR department (where I initially had an interest to move into). I was there, learned, and then led the team for approximately 5.6 years. Currently, I hold 10 years of rich HR experience and am working as Head HR in the Power Industry.

Like many of you said, the work will speak for itself, and that is exactly what happened to me. I am very happy with the steady growth I have experienced and look forward to learning more every day.

Once again, I want to thank each one of you who guided, advised, and suggested ways for me to tackle that unfair situation.

All the best to all of you.

Take care and God bless.

Regards,
Manisha Nair