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When it comes to your role in the office, you consider yourself like oxygen. It may sound presumptuous, but it’s true.
You are an undeniably important piece of the puzzle. You work hard on a consistent basis, and everyone on your team needs you to keep going. But, here’s the frustrating part: They don’t realize it. And many times you don’t get recognized (or even thanked) for all that you contribute.
After all, when was the last time you got up in the morning and thought, “Thank you, oxygen, for keeping me going today!”? Maybe never.
It goes without saying that you are at the very edge of your wits in the office and willing to stand up and take some credit for all the value you bring to the table.
But, how do you do that without looking like Ron Burgundy or Kanye West in your workplace? Here are four important things you need to do to make sure you get the recognition you deserve, without coming off as an attention-seeking narcissist.
1. Be an active participant
One of the most common times you may find yourself slipping under the radar with no credit score is when you’re working on a group project. With so many chefs in the kitchen, it can be very easy for your contributions to go completely unnoticed.
However, it won’t help if you refuse to be an active participant in team meetings and discussions. If you maintain your reputation as a quiet person who would rather get out of those sessions — rather than talk about your thoughts and updates — it will become easier for people to assume you’re not fully involved.
So, remember to use your voice and communicate to your team members with whatever you’re working on. This simple act of staying present will work wonders in ensuring that you get credit where it’s due.
2. Learn about teamwork (without sacrificing yourself)
Speaking of teams, we can all be our own worst enemies when it comes to accepting praise for team efforts. When your boss or another colleague compliments you on the quality of a group project, you immediately find yourself saying something self-deprecating like, “Thanks! But, I had nothing to do with it, it was Jason and Melissa who made it work!”
Your attempt at humility is admirable. But, why do you feel the need to throw yourself under the bus in the process?
Instead, you should, without a shadow of a doubt, continue to learn about the work of the team, while still giving a gentle pat on the back.
What does this look like? Well, when your supervisor congratulates you on such a great report that you and your group have put together, you’ll say something like, “Thanks! I had a great time piecing together the drawings for that. But Jason and Melissa were instrumental in drafting the summaries.”
Much better, right?
3. Stick to yourself
So what if someone in the office takes blatant credit for the work you’ve completed? Your first inclinations may be to clench your jaw, clench your fists, and suppress a scream (and by all means, do it!).
However, when you’re done venting your frustrations, it’s time to stand up for yourself and seek the recognition you deserve. If there’s a culprit in the office who repeatedly seems to be plastering their name on the work you complete, it may be time to have a serious conversation with your supervisor about the issue.
Or, if you’re feeling particularly brave, you can always file your claim in the heat of the moment – right when that pesky credit theft is happening. When your boss compliments Susan on the presentation slides you prepared for your meeting and Susan smiles and nods, there’s no shame in saying, “Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding! I was the one who created the slides for today’s meeting.”
Yes, you can feel a little “me, me, me!” — especially if you’re used to letting things like this pass. But sometimes you need to muster up the courage and be your own advocate in the office.
4. Apply compliments
If you’re not feeling aggressive enough to take such an advanced approach, this may be a more subtle way to get the appreciation you’ve earned.
Think about this: What do you feel you need to do when someone gives you an honest compliment? You probably feel pressure to bounce back.
Why not use this unconscious desire to your advantage? No, this compliment does not have to be directed at the person who directly stole the credit for your work, but it is better to compliment someone who already knows the work is yours.
So, head over to Lucas and tell him what a great job you think he did on his last sales report. He’ll most likely say something like: “Thanks! By the way, I loved your presentation slides at today’s meeting!” And here you have it – acknowledging that work was actually yours.
Sneaky and a bit juvenile? Yes. But effective? definitely.
Not getting credit for the things you’ve worked so hard on is frustrating at best. But that doesn’t mean you just need to roll over and take it. Instead, implement these 4 strategies, and make sure you get credit where it’s due!