What to do when you realise your credit is unduly given to your boss?

Most of us have been in a position where our bosses have hogged the limelight and taken credit for our hard work and toil. In the beginning, we don’t pay much heed to it as we believe that’s how we get noticed and earn a place in the boss’ good books. However, it has the danger of soon becoming a malpractice on the part of the boss. Once you catch wind of this happening, how do you manage to wriggle yourself out of this spot? How do you ensure you get the credit that you deserve without jeopardising your relationship with your superior? It’s a rather dicey situation to find yourself in, but it’s not impossible to tackle.

Image : shutterstock

Have a conversation

Sometimes, it is as simple as just being honest; the adage of ‘honesty is the best policy’ is not without due relevance attached to it. If you feel in your gut that your superior is one to understand where you’re coming from, then there is absolutely no harm in confronting them. For all you know, getting all the attention isn’t their ulterior motive. Nevertheless, it is an option that is always at your disposal.

Get noticed more

A subtler way of handling things could be to get more noticed in the eyes of your boss as well as those directly affected by the work for which your boss is taking undue credit, or rather receiving it. You have to handle this intricately and ensure that you are not being intrusive.

Keep a track

A little record-keeping never hurt anyone. As a way of leveraging your position when you realise your hard work is being taken advantage of, you can always use the records or proof of what you’ve done in order to get the credit. This isn’t being boastful; rather, you are safeguarding your position.

Try being diplomatic

There’s a many other subtle ways of dealing with this. You could indulge in discussing your ideas publicly and not just with your boss. One ploy could also be of approaching your boss directly for suggestions or guidance. Chances here are fewer for him or her to steal credit owing to the nature of association concerning the idea.

Or you could just move on

Consider this as a last resort. If the situation doesn’t get better despite your best efforts and your boss is still at it by unduly taking advantage of your hard work, then it's best for you to move on and not be a part of such a setup. Staying could be detrimental to your growth and progress and also affect you psychologically.

In conclusion, though, is a side-note of sorts. It is okay to let your boss share the credit – not always, but on a few instances. This is because the boss or the superior shoulders the responsibility when it comes to any mistakes you or your team might’ve made. It would only be fair to let him or her share credit for your good work. But make sure it doesn’t get out of hand and leave you in an unsettling situation.