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It’s happened to many people at some point in their careers — and it may have happened to you.
You've worked hard on a project, created a spreadsheet, facilitated an important meeting, closed a significant piece of business for your company — or made some other key contribution to your team or department.
And then a colleague or colleagues wound up taking all the glory.
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Rosalind Wiseman, author of the book "Queen Bees and Wannabes" — which was the inspiration for the cult classic "Mean Girls" (2004) — knows all about this work phenomenon and others like it.
In a recent interview, she said that when corporate chief executives and HR professionals reach out to her for advice, it's often related to recruitment, staff turnover, company culture and "scary" topics — namely, employees' emotions and how to manage them, according to her comments in a New York Times piece.
Frustration and anger are often the first responses from those who have had others steal credit from them for their work — yet there are better ways to handle the issue, according to job experts. Read on for helpful tips. (iStock / iStock)
She told the publication, among other points, that women in particular are often too afraid to confront others who may steal their work ideas.
While this experience may be common, frustration and anger are often the victim's first responses — yet there are better ways to handle the issue, according to job experts.
Here is what to know and what to do.
Consider there was a misunderstanding
If you believe a coworker is passing off his or her work as yours, the first thing to do is control your initial emotions and not allow the issue to get out of hand, especially at work.
"In these kinds of situations, it’s helpful to remain calm and professional, and keep an open mind," recommended Jennifer Chang, an HR knowledge adviser with the Society for Human Resource Management in Alexandria, Virginia (shrm.org).
"Perhaps the coworker accidentally took sole credit for the work, or perhaps the person forgot to mention all the team members who collaborated on a group project."
If you believe that a coworker is passing off his or her work as yours, the first thing to do is control your emotions and not allow the issue to get out of hand, especially in the workplace environment, experts advise. (iStock / iStock)
Assess the situation carefully
If the coworker admits to passing off the work as their own, an employee can ask the individual to acknowledge the contributions publicly — either by sending a follow-up email to those involved or by speaking to managers, Chang told FOX Business.
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If the co-worker does not admit to passing off your work as their own, you can reiterate your perception of the situation, said Chang — and ask the co-worker to refrain from taking credit for your work in the future.
In either scenario, remaining professional will add an edge to your position.
Follow your company’s policies
Although there’s no "official" path that should be taken to rectify this kind of problem, it’s dependent on your preference and company policy, said Change.
"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 a manager."
"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.
"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." (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."
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