People Who Take Credit for Your Work

Many people idolise Steve Jobs. Why not? He was largely responsible for the launch, development, relaunch and performance of Apple, one of the largest and most successful technology companies in the world.

They are known for their revolutionary products and systems creators of the iPod, iPhone, iPad and Mac, they bring technology to the masses through their combination of beautiful interfaces and sleek design.

But what if I told you that Steve Jobs took other people's ideas and used them to build his success?

The Limelight and Recognition are Stolen From You

One of the most frustrating occurrences at work is when you have worked hard to create something beautiful, creative and successful, only for one of your colleagues to take credit for the work.

Have you ever been part of a team asked to do some work on a project? Perhaps some research and a presentation of recommendations?

When it came to the presentation of the results at a meeting of leaders, did one of the other team members lead the presentation, answer the questions and communicate a feeling that they were the one who is mostly accountable for the work that was done?

Then you know this feeling!

Recruiting managers often struggle with candidates who position themselves as the sole architect of success. They listen carefully as candidates explain the success of a particular project or the closure of an exceptional deal, trying to establish how much work the candidate did versus how much they are taking credit for.

The Motivation for Stealing Credit

When someone takes credit for your work they are trying to establish a few elements;

• a reputation for success
• credibility as someone who knows what they are doing
• get ahead in the race for promotion & recognition
• increased chance of improved salary and bonus

When work is competitive and those who are seen to be successful are rewarded then it is easy to understand why colleagues behave this way.

But understanding means you can use their power to help you build your reputation

Taking Advantage of Xerox's Idea

Steve Jobs, aged 24, visited a Xerox research site in Palo Alto.

They showed him the early developments for a graphical interface, including a mouse, and he was impressed.

Xerox were a printer company and did not understand how to take advantage of the technology that they developed.

Indeed, one of the 'misses' of the last 40 years was the fact that Xerox ignored the opportunity in personal computing despite being one of the pioneers of the technology.

Steve Jobs loved the technology he saw there and he envisioned the possibilities that it presented. He knew very well how to exploit the opportunity and he took the idea and developed on it.

Apple advanced the technology and made many improvements, but the idea was one that was created by Xerox.

The reputation that Apple has today for creating beautiful, intuitive interfaces with their hardware could have been born from an idea that Steve Jobs took from Xerox.

Do you object to the fact that Steve Jobs used this idea? Was the result worth it, especially if Xerox had no plans to launch it into the mainstream?

Protecting and Building Your Reputation for Excellence

The challenge in this situation is not to stop someone from taking credit for your work.

In fact, someone who is determined to get credit for work might be an asset because they are likely to publicise it more widely.

The challenge is to ensure that you are also given credit.

1. At the start of a presentation, stand up at the front with the rest of the team and start the talk by describing how the team worked together
2. Make sure all names are on the front cover
3. Rejoin the presenter to answer questions.
4. Ensure that during a project there is clarity over task allocation. Be clear about what you are responsible for completing and do it.
5. Focus on the value of the collaboration and the collective result. The main focus should be on what was achieved by everyone.

By following these steps you can ensure that you are part of a successful project team and that you are credited for what you delivered.

Build a reputation for working well with others, being clear on tasks and delivering results.

Everyone wants these people on their team and they will give you the value you deserve.

This challenge is about defending what you have done and ensuring your name and face are associated with success.