Good leaders give credit where credit is due

Boss may have hijacked your success with fundraising but, unfortunately, that’s how it works in most organizations

DEAR J.T. & DALE: I was hired on a temporary basis at a nonprofit to assist with fundraising. I poured my heart into it and got great results, including several new major donors. Soon after, I found out that my boss took the credit for the donations. I want to quit; I have no respect for someone who steals credit. But I really like the job. What should I do? — Sophia

Dale: This might make you feel better ... or maybe not, but it is, nevertheless, important to understand: Take out your org chart and know that credit rolls uphill. Let’s say your boss’s name is Biff. You work on Biff’s team. The team belongs to Biff and therefore he gets credit for its successes. But guess what? If Biff reports to the director, the director gets credit for anything Biff’s team accomplishes. And then come the president and the CEO — they don’t even know you exist and can never remember which one Biff is — but they get credit for everything. That’s how it works. Now, against that, you should know that wise team leaders give away all the credit they can. That makes them look good and, ironically, that earns them extra credit. So, back to your boss: He’s not a thief — he isn’t “stealing” your credit — he just hasn’t learned to make use of the goodwill that your success allows him to share.

J.T.: Further, I wouldn’t assume that you didn’t get credit. Unless you were there when the successes were reported, you don’t know what really happened. What to do now? Set a meeting with your boss and ask if you can have a performance review. Arrive with a typed list of your accomplishments to review with your boss. Next, explain that you are really hoping to move forward. Ask him what you can do to build your reputation within the company. This politely lets your boss know that you are looking for proper recognition. Hopefully, he’ll recognize the mistake he made and give credit where it’s due!

Dear J.T. & Dale: I work with a total Negative Nellie. She is always complaining about something. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard her say one positive thing. Unfortunately, she is really good at her job. I talked to my boss privately about how much her negative attitude is affecting me. He told me that I should just learn to ignore her. I don’t think I can. I hate leaving a good job, but I’m miserable. Any suggestions? — Tobias

J.T.: You’ve got two strikes in this situation: First, your co-worker isn’t going to change her ways. Second, your boss likes her work. I would dust off the résumé and start a job search. Learning to deal with a negative person at work is like being told to snap your fingers when you have a splinter in one — painful and impossible to ignore. Now, that being said, if you can resolve that you’ll leave if things don’t improve, then there’s nothing stopping you from having a heart-to-heart with your co-worker. Tell her the truth: Her negativity is too much for you. Perhaps, out of respect to you, she’ll try to tone it down. But, if not, then you can leave the job in peace, knowing it was never going to get better.

Dale: Speaking of Negative Nellies, come on, let’s not give up on this good job. Sure, your co-workers influence your attitudes and there’s a danger in becoming like them. On the other hand, learning to get along with difficult people is a critical job — and life — skill. See if you can negate the negative. Start to tell her lightly that she’s the “toughest audience in town” and see if you can make her bleak outlook an office joke. Maybe you say: “I’m going to keep score. Anytime you like an idea, we put up a big smiley-face on the white board.” Pretty soon, her negativity is funny and the celebration of her occasional enthusiasms will produce cheers. Try it. I’ve seen it work. A double-negative is a positive.