How Much Is It OK to Really Claim Credit?

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One of our listeners who emaled us about a time a manager had taken credit for her idea wrote that, i convinced myself that getting credit wasn't the point, and so it didn't matter. Where do you come down on this continuum of how much is it oky to really claim the credit? "I think when we're claiming credit, we're really trying to make sure that the organization and our teams are leveraging our highest and best use," she says.

Have you ever offered up an idea in a meeting and been ignored — but then, 10 minutes later, a man repeated the idea and everyone called it brilliant? Or have you ever worked hard on a team project and been left off the thank-you email?

If we aren’t thoughtful about how we present our ideas at work, we risk not being heard or, worse, missing out on the credit we’re due. Research shows that women get less credit when we work in groups with men. So, it’s important for us to be strategic with our suggestions and insights.

We talk with two experts on workplace dynamics and difficult conversations. First, Amy Jen Su covers how to artfully share your contributions. Next, Amy Gallo tells us how to call out credit stealers.

Our HBR reading list:

“Research: Men Get Credit for Voicing Ideas, but Not Problems. Women Don’t Get Credit for Either,” by Sean Martin

“Proof That Women Get Less Credit for Teamwork,” by Nicole Torres

“Research: Junior Female Scientists Aren’t Getting the Credit They Deserve,” by Marc J. Lerchenmueller and Olav Sorenson

“How to Respond When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work,” by Amy Gallo

Get the discussion guide for this episode on our website: hbr.org/podcasts/women-at-work

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Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.