Integrity is non-negotiable.
I have always tended to be someone who is flexible with my subordinates. I grant a fair amount of leeway in a lot of areas as long as we stay focused on the mission and meet our objectives. But when it comes to honesty, there is no flexibility.
Nowhere is this more an issue for me than with people who knowingly take credit for the work of others. It’s not an uncommon problem; spend five minutes chatting with your team, and they’ll dish on someone who does exactly that. Credit stealers don’t just willingly take credit for the work of others, they wreak havoc on the workplace, infuriate co-workers, and undercut the effectiveness of leadership.
At one time, my own experience with organizational credit stealers stirred a fair amount of anger. I worked with someone who shamelessly spent the better part of our three years together taking credit (and the accolades that came with that credit) for the hard work of our peers. In another organization, I worked with someone who actively campaigned for an award – which he later received – for heroism that he didn’t deserve. And we’ve all worked for someone who accepted the praise for something we did without so much as acknowledging our efforts. Today, rather than anger, those experiences serve as a reminder to be a better person and to ensure that those around me receive their due credit.
Integrity, after all, is non-negotiable.
WHAT TO DO WHEN IT’S YOUR WORK
In a 2015 Harvard Business Review article, Amy Gallo – whose book, Getting Along, should be required reading in every organization – takes on the subject of credit stealers. You mention an idea only to find someone working feverishly to get it in front of leadership before you can; you put in the overtime to ensure a team project is perfect yet someone else accepts all the praise; you take on a new initiative and your boss tells everyone it was his idea all along. “How should you handle these situations?” Gallo asks. “Is it okay to speak up … or should keep quiet?”
With a calm, but firm, approach, Gallo sets a template for how you can assure you get the credit you deserve in the future.
1. Calm down.
There’s always a temptation to act immediately, to confront the credit stealer. Don’t. “Take a day or two to calm down.” You want to approach the situation rationally, not emotionally. Confronting a credit stealer when your emotions are piqued might result in the kind of incident that becomes urban legend. You don’t want that.
2. Assess the situation.
Use that pause to gain perspective. How much does it really matter? Was it a one-time thing? Maybe you received more credit than you realized. And, as Gallo reminds us, “Not every piece of work has to have your name on it.”
3. Ask why.
When you do confront the situation, don’t accuse. Ask questions that reveal the why. You might not get a straight answer, and you might not get any answer. But the better your questions, the more insightful the discussion. Pressing the why also gives the other party an opportunity to learn without being on the defensive.
4. Remedy the situation.
The credit stealer isn’t the only one who should learn from the experience. So should you. Gallo reminds us to “Use any opportunity to demonstrate your involvement with the project.” When a project or initiative is discussed, don’t be passive. Engage the conversation with details to demonstrate your knowledge and participation. Plant the sees so everyone knows who is actually responsible.
This doesn’t mean the problem will go away. Credit stealers will always do what credit stealers do. You just need to know that when it happens, you can address it proactively and professionally. Don’t complain, just calmly and rationally deal with the situation.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE IN CHARGE
The other side of the coin presents a leadership challenge. As a leader or manager, how do you deal with subordinates who take credit for the work of others? If you ignore such behavior, you run the risk of alienating and possibly losing your best team members. You create an environment of complacency where that and other negative behaviors will become the accepted norm.
1. Address the issue immediately.
Bad news isn’t fine wine. It doesn’t get better with age. Negativity in the workplace must be addressed immediately and credit stealing is no exception. The moment you recognize the problem, deal with it.
2. Get to the why.
As a leader, you want a positive and productive dialog. When it comes to credit stealers, it’s better to ask why than to simply accuse. One, you already know that it’s happening and two, if you accuse someone they are just as likely to shut down. Ask questions, drive the discussion, and don’t allow the offending party to make excuses.
3. Provide constructive feedback.
When you’re dealing with a credit stealer, you’re facing down a fundamentally dishonest employee. Instead of stealing food out of the breakroom fridge, they’re stealing the hard work of their colleagues. Bring the discussion full circle to one of performance, or the lack thereof. Always keep in mind that integrity is non-negotiable.
4. Explain the consequences.
I typically save this one for last since it hammers home the point. We’re talking about integrity. The consequences of that are not that complicated. If credit stealing is a pattern of behavior, it will only lead in one direction: out the door. Make that point unequivocally clear.
Ultimately, this is about managing workplace culture and environment and ensuring that honesty, integrity, and teamwork thrive. Honest, hardworking people are integral to organizational success and anything that detracts from that cannot be tolerated. Being the leader that holds a firm line on integrity and holds people accountable to institutional values speaks volumes.
