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Guide · Teammates
What to do when a coworker takes credit for your work
Seeing your work presented as someone else’s stings. Here’s how to raise it without a fight.
Wait until you’re calm
Don’t reply-all in the moment. Give yourself a few hours, then decide what to say.
Cool down, then talk ›What you might want to sayReply all: Actually, I did that.
Porcupine · Pause when floodedA reply-all in the moment puts it in front of everyone. Ten minutes later, one on one, gives you both room.
What might land betterCould we grab ten minutes this afternoon?
Check what happened
They may have meant “we,” or not realized how it sounded. Ask before assuming.
Check before assuming ›What you might want to sayNice job taking all the credit for my analysis in the meeting.
Porcupine · Actions, not motives“Taking all the credit” decides they meant to. “Came across as yours” describes what happened, and asking how to present shared work looks ahead.
What might land betterIn the meeting, the analysis came across as yours. Can we talk about how we present shared work?
Describe it, don’t diagnose it
Say what happened in the meeting, not what kind of person they are.
Describe, don’t diagnose ›What you might want to sayYou’re a credit thief.
Porcupine · The behavior, not the person“Credit thief” is a label. Your name missing from the analysis is what happened.
What might land betterWhen the slides went up, my name wasn’t on the analysis.
Say why it matters to you
If you felt overlooked, or worried about how your work is seen, say so plainly.
Say what’s underneath ›What you might want to sayWhatever, it’s fine.
Porcupine · Name the softer feeling“It’s fine” when it isn’t leaves them none the wiser. Saying you worked hard and want it seen tells them what’s at stake.
What might land betterI worked hard on that, and it matters to me that it’s seen.
Ask for something specific
Make a request they can act on next time.
Honest and hearable ›What you might want to sayDon’t ever do that again.
Porcupine · A clear, doable request“Don’t ever do that again” is an order about the past. Presenting your own parts, or naming who built the model, is a plan for next time.
What might land betterNext time, could we each present the part we did? Or you could mention that I built the model.
Agree on how you’ll credit each other
Settle on a habit you’ll both keep, like naming who did what in slides and emails.
Us against the problem ›If it keeps happening
Raise it with your manager, calmly and with specifics: what you did and when. It’s about making your work visible, not getting anyone in trouble.
Honest and hearable ›
The common mistake
Complaining to everyone else
Venting to coworkers can feel like setting the record straight, but it can look like gossip and rarely changes anything. Say it to them first.
Honest and hearable ›If it doesn’t go the way you hoped
What they might say, and what you could say back.
If they sayI said “we” the whole time.
You could sayMaybe you did. It still came across as yours, so let’s make it clearer next time.
If they sayIt’s a team effort. Credit doesn’t matter.
You could sayThe work is shared, and I agree. It still matters to me that people know what I did.
If they sayYou’re overreacting.
You could sayMaybe it seems small. It matters to me, and I’d rather say it than let it build.
Putting it together
The whole message, before and after.
What you might want to sayNice job taking all the credit for my analysis in the meeting. Classy.
Porcupine · No sarcasm, insults or contempt“Nice job… Classy” says it with a sneer. What happened, why it matters to you and a plan for next time say the same thing without one.
What might land betterIn the meeting, the analysis came across as yours, and I built most of it. It matters to me that my work is seen. Next time, could we each present the part we did?
Run a Quills Check on yours
Write what you want to say to your coworker, however it comes out. I’ll show you if the quills are up, and a version with them down.
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Common questions
Should I correct it in the meeting?
A light, factual add can work: “Happy to walk through the model I built.” Save the bigger conversation for one on one.
What if my manager already thinks they did it?
You can share your work directly, without blaming anyone: “I wanted to walk you through how I built the model.”
How do I make my work more visible?
Send short updates on what you’ve done, put your name on files and slides, and present your own parts when you can.
Know someone this would help?
Send them this guide. The link shows its title and one of its examples.
Find the words with Porcupine
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Just your email. How we handle it
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Guides are general information, not legal, financial or professional advice. If you’re afraid of how someone might react, put your safety first and talk to someone you trust (Safety first).