How to Deal With a Co-Worker Who Takes Credit for All the Team
- 1). Confront the co-worker privately and respectfully. Chances are your co-worker will be defensive, but don't let yourself get drawn into a debate. Calmly explain your position and announce your resolution to never let it happen again.
- 2). Gather whatever evidence you and other team members have and present your case to your boss if discussing the issue with your co-worker doesn't solve the problem. While you might feel this is tattling, recognize that this co-worker is piggybacking on the hard work of other people. Putting a stop to the inappropriate behavior will help the whole team, not just you.
- 3). Protect your interests in the future by limiting that colleague's involvement in your work. If the parameters of your job make this difficult, discuss your options with your boss. For example, if you and your co-worker share certain responsibilities, ask your boss for clearly delineated divisions of responsibility so you won't lose credit for work you do in areas that overlap.
- 4). Clarify your role in future projects to make it difficult for your co-worker to steal credit again. For example, if you stay late working on a project, send email updates to your boss and other project members to make it clear you are the one doing the work. You co-worker will be less comfortable stealing work if you clearly establish your involvement beforehand.
- 5). Bring the problem to your company's human resources department if all else fails. Ask if there is a specific procedure or policy that can help you deal with the problem in an appropriate manner. For example, a member of the department might be willing to act as a mediator to help resolve the dispute.
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