How do I highlight my hard work to my boss?

[StillinPain]

I've been tasked to work on and complete a job with another team member that involves a lot of organisational elements. Coordinating with my team, working with various internal stakeholders and external contractors in order to get the job done. Timings are very tight and we are on a strict deadline. I have done EVERYTHING for this project and my team member who I've been asked to work with has done NOTHING, despite CC'ing him in emails and actively asking him to help out. As a result I have made additional trips into the office or to meet contractors on my days off, worked after hours, identified multiple other things that need to be done and extra jobs that would benefit the initial project. I have taken those on as well on top of everything else I'm working on. I want to make sure that I am recognised for all of my hard work and that my teammate does not receive any credit for this job. But, at the same time I don't want to come across as resentful (I'm really not, I've enjoyed having full control over this project) or throwing him under the bus.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I would be best to go about doing this? I'm not used to selling myself....

A bit of a back story: I've never really been the type of person to toot my own horn at work. I just get on with my work and do what's required in order to get the job done. Unfortunately this has got me no where in life on the corporate world. I've never been recognised by a colleague during the monthly recognition spot in our big team meetings. This also means I've missed out on the rewards points that are given which can be used to purchase store gift cards / merchandise, etc

I've been with my company for 6 years, but in my current role with a new manager for the past 18 months and have really grown and developed my role. My manager has said I'm doing an excellent job which has been nice to hear. I've never progressed in my career due to undiagnosed ADHD and lack of confidence. But I've got my sights set on a promotion this year, so need to really drive this, so understand that highlighting my work and extra efforts is part of the process. But it's just not something I'm used to doing of have any experience with.

Advice welcome please!!!

Do you have 1:1's with your line manager and are you able to speak to them openly? I would raise the issues that you had with your colleague. Also mention the stakeholders that you worked with for these projects.

Also in regards to getting the promotion, anytime you take on extra work or project, keep a log of it so that when you have your appraisal meeting you can give examples of all the work you have done, this should help with your promotion.

I don't think you necessarily should get recognition for taking on somebody else's work who should be doing it themselves. It seems like a failure on your part nit to inform management of any problems. Key to managing is making sure everyone fulfills their roles, not do everybody's jobs for them.

Thanks. I will make a note of everything I've done and keep it for my annual review. I'm always terrible at making notes of what I've done throughout the year and by the end I can never remember.

I can talk openly with my manager yes. I have been keeping her up to speed with most of the things that I've been doing along the way, but I've not specifically said X teammate has done nothing. She has been cc'd into many of the emails, some specifically asking X team member to contribute or come to the office to meet a contractor, but he could never do it. I'd often chase him for replies in the email trail.

As for saying I don't deserve credit for taking ok someone else's work, I don't necessarily agree with that. I do agree that I could learn from this and potentially bring it up to my manager if this happens again, but as I've said before I don't have ton of confidence and and the main objective for me from this post is to understand how to best raise this (that I've done all the work in this situation, but all how can I can flag if it happens again) with my manager or his manager without sounding whiney or by 'tattling' on him.

You could ask your manager for coaching on how you could have better dealt with your colleague not getting involved. That way you’ve told her he did nothing but you’ve phrased it in a constructive way.

Or you could be less pass agg about it.

Email and say:
"At our next one to one, I'd like to see if you have any feedback for me about this project. As you know, it was an important project for [reasons] and particularly difficult for [reasons]. As a result, [state what has been achieved]. I am particularly proud of the following aspects: [list]. It was particularly challenging as colleague wasn't really involved, which I found quite liberating actually being able to take control - but it did mean that I went over and above by [tasks].
As you know I am keen to seek promotion so would like to know what your feedback is and how I can use this experience to push for that."

Also don't just think about you manager. Wider team, manager's manager, others elsewhere - making sure you're not talking about "what I did", focus on "as a result of what I did, we achieved this".

Get over the "I'm not very good at blowing my own trumpet". The more you do it, the easier it will get; and if you don't start then you'll carry on being resentful of those who do. Shy bairns get nowt.

I think there are two issues here:

• you've stepped in to do someone else's work
• you want the recognition (understandably) that you have stepped in to fill the gap.

It might be useful to explore your experience of the first - why did you cover for him? Did you enjoy the extra work and taking ownership, or did you feel obligated and resentful? Did you feel unable to challenge his refusal to contribute? Did you feel unable to speak to your manager about your concerns during the project, when something could have been done to readdress the balance?

I think understanding the first issue will help you work out the best course of action.

Do you need a promotion, or do you need to work on setting better professional boundaries and challenging others more effectively?

Your colleague sounds utterly hopeless, but you can only change your responses etc.

I have struggled with the same, and really recommend 'Playing Big' by Tara Mohr if you want some practical ways to rethink recognition/contribution at work.

request a 1-2-1 with you manager asap (before this gets presented)

go for the shit sandwiche 🥪 approach
1 bread 🍞 😂 I’ve really enjoyed this project, taking ownership of it, proud of X and Y, have learnt Z
2 💩But as you might have noticed colleague really hasn’t contributed so I want to be sure that credit is given fairly (I think you can say that!)
3 🍞 going forwards I’d like to be in a position of taking more responsibility and line management roles so perhaps there’s some training I could access that could help
me?

I think asking for a 1:1 to discuss the project, what you did, why you did it, and to request feedback on your work is the way forward - the manager does need to know that Lazy Guy wasn't doing his fair share. Expect to have to explain why you didn't tell anyone at the time that you were doing it all. I don't know what the work culture is like in your office, but a lot of the places I've worked have leaned heavy and hard into teamwork being key. With active discouragement of people pack-horsing the entire workload of a project.

As someone who has been a manager, if someone came to me after the fact and proudly told me they'd done all the work, come in on their days off, worked after hours and done additional work... I wouldn't be as thrilled as you seem to be expecting. Not trying to rain on your parade, but teams need team workers, and that includes informing management when someone or something isn't working efficiently.

I'd have expected you to attempt to communicate with your colleague first, then come to me if that was unsuccessful. You've demonstrated hard work and initiative, that's good and will hopefully be recognised by your boss. But also tremendous doormattery, which is bad. Don't be surprised if your manager wants to know why you were completely content letting Lazy Guy take you for a complete mug. The whole project could have gone up in smoke with you trying to do it all, and management want to avoid that sort of thing, not encourage and reward it.

Absolutely seek out the recognition you deserve for all your hard work, be bullish about it, because you do deserve to be seen and have your work acknowledged. But also be prepared to have a discussion about setting professional boundaries or communicating better.

I think it perky depends on how your colleague is perceived generally? If they’re known for being a work shy twat that’s a different conversation than if everyone thinks they’re great!

Partly, not perky..

Agree with BreviloquentBastard that you should have brought colleague's non-participation openly at the time. As in, asked your manager how they want you to handle the problem. Identify key areas and concentrate on those yourself while leaving holes elsewhere/up your own effort and hours/get additional staff members involved as necessary. That's not snitching since your focus would have been on what's best for the project. Much harder to justify bringing up the issue now although you should, absolutely!

Can you get your Adhd diagnosed or have you spoken to work about reasonable workplace adjustments - these can be put in place without a diagnosis.

Does your workplace/industry offer a mentoring programme. Mine offers one specifically for women and focuses not only on industry related topics but also interview skills, confidence in the workplace and asserting yourself.

Have you looked outside of your current workplace for promotion, sometimes the only way to move on is to move to a different organisation.

OP you need to toot. The squeaky wheel etc etc.

Speak up and get your credit. 💪

OP as someone with ADHD I believe it's not at all uncommon for you to do 200% or 300%, be able to see everything that needs doing and furiously go at it, including everything your colleague is dragging their heels on. Then feel completely un appreciated because a lot of people with ADHD often aren't at all good at playing political games. I've done this countless times and I think it's a an ADHD behavior. Being hyperfocused and able to work at a rate of knots.. while your house and life may look like a tornado just went through them...