Career

When Your Boss Is a "Fame Claimer"

Follow these tips to get the praise you deserve.

Posted June 27, 2023 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

Key points

Bosses who take credit for their employees' ideas have a need for recognition.
They may feel deserving of praise because of their direct role in their employees' success.
When appropriate, employees can thank their boss openly for any help they received.

Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels

In corporate America, it is not uncommon for bosses to receive praise for the work done by members of their team. My favorite boss, Mike, was unlike many other bosses I’d met. He openly praised us for our work and never took credit for an idea or deliverable generated by one of his subordinates. Some of my colleagues in other departments didn’t fare as well and would sometimes complain that they did not receive the credit they deserved for their work product.

Fame claimers haughtily assume credit for your work. To them, this isn’t stealing. They’re just taking what they believe to be rightfully theirs. Sure, you did the work and you’re not getting the recognition you deserve; but the boss believes she earned the credit.

Bosses who take credit for your work are pumped up with pride they are unwilling to share. Their haughty air of self-importance advertises their belief that they alone are responsible for results because they are fully in control. If you tactfully accuse them of stealing your credit, they’ll promise to arrange some recognition for you. Don’t hold your breath. People who are so hungry to get credit are usually extremely touchy if you criticize them.

What You’re Thinking

My project was a huge success, and my boss is grabbing all the glory. I worked incredibly hard to pull it off. It was my precise planning and coordination that made it click. She hasn’t acknowledged any of my contributions. I’m so frustrated!

What She’s Thinking

I taught him well. I really deserve the accolades on this one. I cleared the path with the other departments so that he’d have the support he needed to get the job done. He did just what I told him, and the result was even better than expected. Wow! These figures will look great in my report.

Strategy

There’s more involved here than satisfying your ego. Getting acclaimed as an idea person and a good implementer is important for your career advancement. Your objective is clear: You need to gain recognition for your achievements.

Share the credit and gain a friend. Be willing to dole out some of the acclaim. Instead of complaining that you didn’t get recognition, acknowledge to the boss and everyone else around whatever you can legitimately say the boss taught you. Win the boss over by getting her to think of the two of you as a team.
Share problems and how you are handling them. Be considerate of the boss’s time as you plot ways to become more visible to her on important matters. You can ask her opinion without seeking permission.
Document your procedures and accomplishments. Send progress report emails to your boss and copy anyone who might possibly benefit from reading them. Creating an electronic “paper” trail has several benefits: Many people become aware of your efforts. You get the credit you deserve, and in addition, having this record will help you recall your feats during future negotiations.

Tip: To convert your boss from stealing your praises to singing your praises, keep telling her how much she’s helping you. Your boss needs an extra boost to satisfy her greed and need for recognition, but neither of you could achieve success alone. Both of you deserve to paste up the gold stars.