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Original poster

Manager taking credit?

10 replies

Howmanyroses · 07/08/2023 21:40

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? What would you do in my position?

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 08/08/2023 06:48

if you've only been in the organisation and in-role for 8 months in total, you're getting a bit ahead of yourself thinking that your contributions are yet worthy of being shouted from the rooftops.

as for not being willing to contribute to a slide deck because you don't think you'll get any credit for it, well I have no words.

Loopylooni · 08/08/2023 07:16

Is the deck not saved down somewhere? Could you ask a more senior colleague or send a group email asking where it has been saved as you need to check some stuff. Copy others in when you send the slides?

A similar thing happened to me recently but when the shit hit the fan, I was the only person who could fix things. Otherwise really my colleague would have taken the credit. I dropped comments into chats with my VP that I built it all etc.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 07:26

Loopylooni · 08/08/2023 07:16

Is the deck not saved down somewhere? Could you ask a more senior colleague or send a group email asking where it has been saved as you need to check some stuff. Copy others in when you send the slides?

A similar thing happened to me recently but when the shit hit the fan, I was the only person who could fix things. Otherwise really my colleague would have taken the credit. I dropped comments into chats with my VP that I built it all etc.

That's the thing... the deck is not saved anywhere, it's on my manager's hard drive, and he is not showing the content to anyone or even saying what's in the deck, which is really sneaky and disingenuous, as the team is then supposed to implement the strategy set out in the deck and we don't have any visibility or any idea of what's inside

OP posts:
Loopylooni · 08/08/2023 07:29

Could you loop your colleague in and both ask? I'd just be trying to raise your profile elsewhere as well. Unfortunately as part of your job, how can you say no to helping your boss?

rookiemere · 08/08/2023 07:48

Not replying is not professional.

I would reply saying of course you can input, and can he send the deck previously used so you know how to structure your input. Then keep reminding him of that when he asks for anything.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 08:46

rookiemere · 08/08/2023 07:48

Not replying is not professional.

I would reply saying of course you can input, and can he send the deck previously used so you know how to structure your input. Then keep reminding him of that when he asks for anything.

Thank you, the message was sent on a team chat, so not addressed at anyone in particular - guess he is just looking for volunteers. The deck being pulled together is a new one, but I guess I could ask for the previous one to see what was already covered

OP posts:
rookiemere · 08/08/2023 09:27

Ok I would maybe go the other way then. Get super involved in the deck and presentation, ask if there is an opportunity to showcase some of your teams work.
Really he should of course be championing you - makes both of you look good - so I'd be extra keen on Teams. Maybe supply him with some powerpoint slide pictures that can't be altered showing what's been done.

ParadiseZity · 08/08/2023 12:50

It isn't acceptable to claim your ideas as his own. I ALWAYS attribute ideas made my members of my team to them. As a PP said, doing so makes everyone look good.

The not sharing the slide deck could be that the strategy impacts the team in quite a big way and the business/he isn't ready to discuss it with you yet. It's completely acceptable but annoying to not see decks that the higher-ups are using.

On the other hand, he could just be a dick and stealing your ideas and doesn't want to be caught out.

Aprilx · 08/08/2023 16:36

You have not been there for very long and you have no idea if he is presenting your ideas as his own, what public recognition were you hoping for by now? I think not helping out with your manager's request for help because you don't feel you have been getting enough recognition ... well, I would be very concerned about your professionalism.

Original poster
Howmanyroses · 08/08/2023 17:48

Aprilx · 08/08/2023 16:36

You have not been there for very long and you have no idea if he is presenting your ideas as his own, what public recognition were you hoping for by now? I think not helping out with your manager's request for help because you don't feel you have been getting enough recognition ... well, I would be very concerned about your professionalism.

To be clear, I have been practically carrying the team since the start, haven't said no to anything thrown my way, and doing the job of 2-3 people at the moment, because one of the team members left 3 months ago and the other one is a slacker and is currently being performance managed out. So i am hardly not professional, but I would still like to have people (including my manager) publicly recognise all of the above, which at the moment is scarcely happening.

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