Priyanka Sharma Vital
VitalSmarts Blog <link updated to site home> ( Search On Cite | Search On Google )

Question from our one participant:--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.

Read full blog on What to Do When Your Boss Steals Credit for Your Work <link updated to site home> ( Search On Cite | Search On Google )

From India, Gurgaon
exler
5

Ms Priyanka,
I suggest you take this in your stride with pride ! Will tell you why !
Look, she can not be telling clients that her subordinate gave this piece of advice can she ?
Only hope your boss ( she) admires you or acknowledges for how you support her. After all, she is your boss and probably she is the one who is going to be writing your appraisals.If you are the type who helps, do it with all your heart and don't hold back !
However, if that's not the case, then she is sure stealing your shine.
On the other hand, if you decide to not to share info, imagine how your relations are going to be.

From Oman, Muscat
s.neharika
1

HI,
I would actually recommend the other course of action. While helping your boss, also tell her that you would like to also see her in action while she delivers this to the client- Since she's so good at it and your shadowing her would add a lot of benefit and exposure. This would not only allow you to flatten her ego, while also be present while she's delivering her 'idea.' and since you'll also be around, I'm hoping decency prevails and she shares a bit of the credit.
Do let us know if it helped!


nashbramhall
1624

Dear all, Please note. Priyanka is not posing a question. She is in fact trying to divert traffic to her blog.
From United Kingdom
palani.murthy
10

Ms.Priyanka,

Let me give you a overview of such situation, the final practice is yours.

The cause for such situations:

1.The boss's schedule is full busy to do the work which is assigned to you

2. The boss is not capable of doing work

3. The boss is not capable of doing that particular work

4. The boss don't want to work but try to show him/her as a hard working person

5. The boss do not like you

Whatever the reasons might be, have one thing very very clear in mid that "Whichever the company, whatever the process, how tough the work is, when you accepted the offer and joined the organisation its your duty to follow the assignment by your boss, you cannot say or ask what will be your gain in that, because that is why you are paid with salary every month and you accepted it followed by joining in that company".

Now when coming back to your situation,

- If the reason is 1, then you need no to worry, you will learn good knowledge from him/her, and he/she will take care of your career till you are with that person.

- If the reason is 2, then there is no option, because that person becomes a boss level somehow, so he/she don't know about anything, in such cases whatever the job assigned to you, you need to get it through mail and finishing then acceptance by boss, everything you should get in a mail as proof, if the boss is not willing to give mails, just finish the assigned job and then you send a mail to boss, asking his/her acknowledgement for the completion of work or any corrections, in a POLITE way. So, in this during the time of appraisal you have demand what you deserve, if it is not happening then look for another offer, because the long you are with this kind of a boss, you will learn nothing, more importantly your knowledge will fade.

- If the reason is 3, then you boss is a good person/professional still he/she delegates the responsibility to you, so be a shadow for the boss

- If the reason is 4, nobody can help you, because for all the year he/she did this and became a boss only by impressing, so that person is an expert at impressing their bosses, so you need to be very careful and get what you deserve for your work

-If the reason is 5, my suggestion is "Better change the project/process or even the company".

NOTE:

Apart from all the above explanations, for the reasons 2,4,5 you can escalate to your HR, ONLY IF YOU HAVE PROOFS, and make sure that your boss and the HR are not friends, and the HR is not a biased person for management.

The most important thing is, COMPLETE MINIMUM OF 1 YEAR, whatever the situation is, in whichever the company.

From United States
Cameo
11

This is very common - boss stealing credit for subordinates' work - especially in R & D Centres, research organizations, etc. On many occasions, a 'gracious' boss acknowledges the contribution of subordinate(s) by naming them as co-authors/co-inventors! And there have been occasions in India's premier research organizations when subordinates dissatisfied with such acknowledgements left the organization for greener pastures (read abroad). The choice is yours, you can either grin and bear it or say goodbye to your company!

Escalating the matter may or may not work. If your company is very large and has several tiers with a strong HR, this will work. Otherwise, your boss will show her true colours in your appraisal!

Now, let us take an example. Thomas Alva Edison has 1093 patents for inventions registered in his name. Do you think that all these products were invented by Edison single-handed? Many of his assistants would have contributed by offering suggestions for improvements! Before coming out with the final product, Edison is said to have tried 100 other types of incandescent bulb!

From India, Mumbai
dasarp
4

Good Observation ! To ensure that traffic is not diverted to any oyther blog citeHR admin can perhaps block the URL’s so that questions are posed & answered in this site itself.
From India, Bangalore
Anonymous
20

Dear Mr. Nashbramhall,
Pefect observation. It looks the same as posted by you.
Dear Mr. Dasarp,
I think URLs need not to be blocked. It will enable everyone to share/utilize useful information through such URL. If the URL had eye catching capability it will, but the platform citeHR had given is really appreciable. Thanks to all CiteHR team

From India, Indore
edgeworks
Do not fight with your boss, you are obliged to work for him/her.
If s/he gives you good performance rating, why do you bother about stealing credit,
if s/he does not give good rating, you can find a better boss.

From India, Bangalore
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