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AIBU?

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Original poster

Boss getting all the credit

21 replies

Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 05:44

Hi all, posting here for traffic. Not sure if I am being unreasonable and would love some perspective. I started a new role about 8 months ago. This is a big company, growing department, lots of opportunity. The area I specialise in is very 'hot' right now, so there is a lot of innovation happening. My team is small, a senior manager plus 2 managers underneath (I am one of the managers). I was hired as an expert in this area for the team, and I feel like ever since I started I have been setting the strategy, introducing new processes, innovating and leading initiatives. My manager is happy with my performance, yet not giving me any visible credit for what I do. Or at least I am not getting any signs that credit is being given, when the discussions are being had with the senior leadership. I am starting to suspect that the senior manager is taking credit for all my ideas and innovation, presenting those as his own. A meeting was held last week, where a deck was presented (that I haven't seen) and today it was announced that it was well received, yet despite asking for it several times, I still haven't seen it. Am I deliberately being kept in the dark about what's going on?

The senior manager is going to be presenting another deck to c-suite in the coming weeks and asked for any support with this, which I am not going to respond to, because where is my incentive (if this is all just going to be presented as his work?). I realise I am really invested in this knowledge area and that's why i feel so strongly about getting credit for my ideas, but am I being unreasonable and should just suck it up, because that's just the way it goes in a corporate culture and i should be more of a team player until I get promoted and can then take all the credit for myself? I've considered going above his head to self-promote and increase visibility, but have been advised against this as could be risky.

What would you do in my position?

OP posts:
Prouddoggieparent · 08/08/2023 06:42

I would play it cool and keep supporting him. Sooner or later he will be asked questions he cannot answer and will have to defer to you.
I think your job is to make him look good and he rewards you when it comes to bonus time.
Make sure you record things in your appraisal as evidence, putting a positive spin on it….I enjoyed this/that project and developing….
also maybe discuss with him in public how did he find the ideas you supplied.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 08:48

Prouddoggieparent · 08/08/2023 06:42

I would play it cool and keep supporting him. Sooner or later he will be asked questions he cannot answer and will have to defer to you.
I think your job is to make him look good and he rewards you when it comes to bonus time.
Make sure you record things in your appraisal as evidence, putting a positive spin on it….I enjoyed this/that project and developing….
also maybe discuss with him in public how did he find the ideas you supplied.

Thank you, yes logically I understand that this is probably the right thing to do, but this is so hard in practice. This is a person who was hired above me with absolutely no background or expertise in this area, just because he used to work with our head of and they are chums. Whilst I am the expert who is currently driving all the work, and I barely get a mention or a pat on the back, all the credit and 'job well done' gets directed at the manager.

OP posts:
MakeItRain · 08/08/2023 08:55

I don't know how your company works but is there any way you can get involved in the presentations? I'm not sure I could be happy with my work being passed off as someone else's. Is there a way for you to introduce what you're doing to someone above him, or doesn't it work like that? Ultimately I think I would be trying for promotion or a different job if this didn't change.

MillicentBystandr · 08/08/2023 08:56

Well, your ideas are coming from his team, so he can take credit for them in that sense. Sr leadership would be congratulating him on the innovations of his team, as it were. What you are missing is the feedback from your boss as to great idea! Good job! He, for whatever reason, isn’t a sharer of positive feedback outside the formal performance reviews.

It can be frustrating to work for a boss who is like this but I don’t think he’s doing anything wrong. Besides, he would be stupid as hell to try and pass off your ideas as his ideas when sr leadership likely know his background, qualifications, experience and abilities better than you do.

Id play it cool as well. You’re on a team and so long as the team gets kudos and your boss rewards you for your part- pay rise, awards, bonus, put in for promotion that’s the usual way things are recognised.

Curseofthenation · 08/08/2023 09:47

Well, if you have the right relationship with the senior team then there are subtle ways to go about it. You could share an article with some big industry news in your specialist area for instance via email for instance. A nice little note included along with the link, something like:

'Interesting to see that x company has gone ahead with x innovation/campaign/idea. It's not too dissimilar to our x project. It's brilliant to see other companies going in the same direction - and makes all of the graft and research feel very worthwhile! Hopefully we can go one step further with x idea that I put forward as x company in article don't appear to have taken this step.'

I appreciate I'm shooting in the dark here but you get the idea.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 18:49

Curseofthenation · 08/08/2023 09:47

Well, if you have the right relationship with the senior team then there are subtle ways to go about it. You could share an article with some big industry news in your specialist area for instance via email for instance. A nice little note included along with the link, something like:

'Interesting to see that x company has gone ahead with x innovation/campaign/idea. It's not too dissimilar to our x project. It's brilliant to see other companies going in the same direction - and makes all of the graft and research feel very worthwhile! Hopefully we can go one step further with x idea that I put forward as x company in article don't appear to have taken this step.'

I appreciate I'm shooting in the dark here but you get the idea.

Thanks very much, I've been thinking along the same lines. Just need to figure out the right approach/time for this!

OP posts:
SummerWhisper · 08/08/2023 19:27

In my new job, I can see that my boss has coasted along without scrutiny, any kind of graft and definitely no knowledge or strategy, whereas I have worked in this field for years. She is also in league with the overall head of department who is just as lazy. I decided to bypass the pair of idle loafers who both took credit for my work and told me off for not sharing my ideas with them. I make sure I casually discuss my ideas with senior leaders, so that they recognise the work is being driven by me.

Regular (highly informative and laden with innovation) conversations with those higher up is your way forward. Just shine!

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 19:33

SummerWhisper · 08/08/2023 19:27

In my new job, I can see that my boss has coasted along without scrutiny, any kind of graft and definitely no knowledge or strategy, whereas I have worked in this field for years. She is also in league with the overall head of department who is just as lazy. I decided to bypass the pair of idle loafers who both took credit for my work and told me off for not sharing my ideas with them. I make sure I casually discuss my ideas with senior leaders, so that they recognise the work is being driven by me.

Regular (highly informative and laden with innovation) conversations with those higher up is your way forward. Just shine!

Thanks for your perspective, I think our situations are similar! I have actually already done this once or twice, but would it not be interpreted as going over their heads? What would you usually discuss with the higher up - the work that you are doing or your ideas for how to improve processes, any strategic angles? I've been a bit weary that it might backfire if it gets to my manager and his manager that I am having these one-2-ones with their boss

OP posts:
Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 19:34

Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 19:33

Thanks for your perspective, I think our situations are similar! I have actually already done this once or twice, but would it not be interpreted as going over their heads? What would you usually discuss with the higher up - the work that you are doing or your ideas for how to improve processes, any strategic angles? I've been a bit weary that it might backfire if it gets to my manager and his manager that I am having these one-2-ones with their boss

Show quote history

And I just to add to that, after one of those conversations, the C-suite exec that I had a chat with approached me to ask for something specific, which I then had to relay to my manager who went green with jealousy that the exec approached me and not him

OP posts:
Mmhmmn · 08/08/2023 19:36

Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 05:44

Hi all, posting here for traffic. Not sure if I am being unreasonable and would love some perspective. I started a new role about 8 months ago. This is a big company, growing department, lots of opportunity. The area I specialise in is very 'hot' right now, so there is a lot of innovation happening. My team is small, a senior manager plus 2 managers underneath (I am one of the managers). I was hired as an expert in this area for the team, and I feel like ever since I started I have been setting the strategy, introducing new processes, innovating and leading initiatives. My manager is happy with my performance, yet not giving me any visible credit for what I do. Or at least I am not getting any signs that credit is being given, when the discussions are being had with the senior leadership. I am starting to suspect that the senior manager is taking credit for all my ideas and innovation, presenting those as his own. A meeting was held last week, where a deck was presented (that I haven't seen) and today it was announced that it was well received, yet despite asking for it several times, I still haven't seen it. Am I deliberately being kept in the dark about what's going on?

The senior manager is going to be presenting another deck to c-suite in the coming weeks and asked for any support with this, which I am not going to respond to, because where is my incentive (if this is all just going to be presented as his work?). I realise I am really invested in this knowledge area and that's why i feel so strongly about getting credit for my ideas, but am I being unreasonable and should just suck it up, because that's just the way it goes in a corporate culture and i should be more of a team player until I get promoted and can then take all the credit for myself? I've considered going above his head to self-promote and increase visibility, but have been advised against this as could be risky.

What would you do in my position?

Say you want to attend the presentation.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 19:37

Mmhmmn · 08/08/2023 19:36

Say you want to attend the presentation.

Show quote history

I have already said that, but the response was 'We'll think about it' and I never got the invite. I feel like I am being constantly ghosted and ignored

OP posts:
Mmhmmn · 08/08/2023 19:42

I think summerwhisper sets a good example.

Are there opportunities to make a cup of tea in the kitchen at the same time as the key people or getting in the lift type opportunities for chats that seem casual but are really for you to show who the ideas person is?

SummerWhisper · 08/08/2023 22:43

@Howmanyroses Definitely similar situation! My meetings are more opportunistic, not formal. If I see them around the building, I ask specific questions that link their work to my work so it becomes an ideas sharing conversation, planting seeds. It's all done with a keenness to hear how things are going from their area / perspective then I chip in with suggestions that I've only just thought of (😉) I say things like "if only there was a budget to do x, y or z, we'd have been doing it years ago" which raises the question of why haven't we already been doing this? I sound manipulative but it's because I enjoy my job and I can't bear a below-par provision so I decided to go rogue as it's the only way to improve and to extricate my reputation from theirs.

SummerWhisper · 08/08/2023 22:46

@Mmhmmn exactly - those are the types of situations that I nurture. It's with the intention of improving what we do, rather than me trying to get ahead. I'm not after their jobs. I wish they'd go and work somewhere else though and we could bring more dynamic people in. Grrr.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 09/08/2023 03:27

Thanks everyone, lots of food for thought and great ideas! @SummerWhisper that's a great strategy, I hope it gets you the results that you want? @Mmhmmn love it! Yes absolutely I have been doing some of this too, but a bit more challenging with a hybrid set up. Not impossible though!

OP posts:
KickAssAngel · 09/08/2023 05:25

Why did you have to tell your manager that you'd been asked for something from the c-suite? At the least you should provide what you were asked for then tell your manager afterwards. Return the ghosting and cock blocking whenever possible. If you're asked for support, is there any way you can lock in your name on a spreadsheet or slide? So that they can only use your info with your name there? Just make that your common practice and if asked, say it's your policy as it's important to retain info on who knows what for future conversations.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 09/08/2023 07:15

KickAssAngel · 09/08/2023 05:25

Why did you have to tell your manager that you'd been asked for something from the c-suite? At the least you should provide what you were asked for then tell your manager afterwards. Return the ghosting and cock blocking whenever possible. If you're asked for support, is there any way you can lock in your name on a spreadsheet or slide? So that they can only use your info with your name there? Just make that your common practice and if asked, say it's your policy as it's important to retain info on who knows what for future conversations.

Thank you, what I've been asked to do is not possible for one person to do, it was an ask for the whole team, hence I had to relay this to my manager. I am starting to realise that I need to be much more political than I am used to at this particular company. Only wish there was some kind of training I can go on to be that person who effortlessly sails through all the internal politics and swiftly moves up the chain ;)

OP posts:
BrawnWild · 09/08/2023 07:23

Credit isnt cash or progression.

I wouldn't get caught up in a game of how to get my recognition, you cant compete with your boss and win.

I'd look to secure development opportunities and then promotion and make sure I learn from his leadership...as in, making sure I credit my team visibly.

DarlingCoffee · 09/08/2023 07:24

I’m currently in a similar situation and it’s as frustrating as hell. I spent time ‘playing it cool’ but the thing is these managers won’t change. I am now leaving to work for a company where my voice is heard.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 09/08/2023 07:54

@BrawnWild but isnt it easier to get promoted if you get credit and visibility of what you are doing? Otherwise it looks like someone else is doing all the good work and being strategic, whilst you are just a cog that is doing their job but nothing more?

OP posts:
BrawnWild · 09/08/2023 15:35

Howmanyroses · 09/08/2023 07:54

@BrawnWild but isnt it easier to get promoted if you get credit and visibility of what you are doing? Otherwise it looks like someone else is doing all the good work and being strategic, whilst you are just a cog that is doing their job but nothing more?

Can you look outside the company?

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