Assertiveness
How to talk to a coworker who takes credit for your work
Talk to your coworker in private, soon and with facts: what was your work, what they said and in front of whom. Ask for a specific change, such as a correction or presenting future results together. Also make sure your contribution is visible in writing.
How to handle this conversation
Facts, not intentions
For example: “At yesterday’s meeting you presented the cost analysis as yours. I prepared it and sent it to you on Monday.”
Ask for a specific correction
Try: “I would like you to add to the team summary that the analysis is mine.” A general “be careful next time” changes nothing.
Do not get brushed off with “teamwork”
When you hear “but we are a team,” reply: “I agree. That is exactly why it matters that it is clear who does what.”
Protect yourself going forward
Send results to a wider group, put your name on documents and present your parts yourself. Visibility in writing leaves less room for misunderstanding.
I confront a coworker who took credit for my work
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Duration
- 6-10 minutes
The situation
For two weeks you prepare an analysis meant to convince your manager to switch suppliers. You send it to a teammate to review. At the department meeting he presents it, saying “I put together an analysis,” and your manager praises him. After the meeting you ask him for a quick word.
Who you talk to
A teammate
Confident and well liked by the manager. Plays it down, says you work together anyway, and when you push, suggests you are overreacting and making a problem out of nothing.
The counterpart also has private goals and information that are never shown upfront. You discover them only through the conversation, the same way you would in real life.
What makes it hard
- Your teammate claims he added a lot of his own work to the analysis.
- He hides behind teamwork and says there is no need to make a fuss.
- He suggests that raising it with the manager would reflect badly on you.
Your goals
- State the facts calmly without accusing him of bad intentions
- Get a specific correction or an agreement for the future
- Not be brushed off by downplaying and claims of overreacting
What the report looks at
- Whether the conversation relied on facts and dates
- Whether you made a specific request for a correction
- How you responded to downplaying and “teamwork”
- Whether your tone was firm but not aggressive