Your team member is claiming credit for your remote work. How will you rebuild trust and collaboration?
Ever had your ideas taken by someone else? Share your strategies for navigating credit and collaboration in remote work.
Your team member is claiming credit for your remote work. How will you rebuild trust and collaboration?
Ever had your ideas taken by someone else? Share your strategies for navigating credit and collaboration in remote work.
-
Lee Lewis
Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) & GM Medical Solutions at Health Transformation Alliance
(edited)If it's not a high-severity offense, I use humor to resolve challenging situations without making enemies or creating awkwardness. I might simply joke on a public call "Randy, you still owe me a nice lunch for giving you that great idea!" It reasserts that it was my idea, graciously gives permission for him to to continue using the idea (because it's too late anyways), shows I'm not petty, breaks the ice, and gives him a chance to publicly reciprocate and share the credit back. He will think twice before stealing credit from me again. I would then be extra diligent sharing credit with others (to demonstrate the behavior I expect), and finally, never let anyone steal an idea from someone else in your presence, either.
-
Shift the conversation toward team objectives. Emphasize how collaboration benefits everyone and the importance of recognizing each member's contributions.
-
Open Communication, Let's delve into the specific contributions each of us made to the project. This will help clear up any misunderstandings and ensure proper recognition of everyone's efforts. Set explicit boundaries regarding credit for future work. This could involve discussing how to acknowledge collaborative efforts in presentations or reports. Highlight the significance of collective achievements over personal recognition. Foster an environment where everyone's efforts are acknowledged. Reflect and Adapt
-
Every team can be high functioning or dysfunctional. Why? Individual team members are either committed to the five pillars (focused on the common goal, accountable to the team, accountable for their work, not conflict adverse, committed to open communication) or not. For a team member to take credit for someone else's work means we have a player who is focused on their own glory (above the team) and not accountable to the team or for their own work; we can't let that slide. That must be addressed. And the ideal would be to do that privately. Refocusing on the shared vision (mission), our commitment to it and our individual contributions to that end. Conscience is key. Because in the end, teamwork makes the dream work.
-
I would have a one on one conversation with my team member and talk about the remote project/work we have worked together such as what have we done well as a team, or what things we can do differently next time. Be having an open and reflective conversation with the team member, it helps build the teamwork, trust and collaboration.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Project LeadershipHow can you resolve team conflicts when working remotely?
-
BrandingYou're working remotely with colleagues in a different country. How can you build relationships that last?
-
Culture ChangeYou’re working remotely with colleagues. What are some ways to build trust?
-
Risk ManagementWhat are effective ways to network and build relationships with colleagues while working remotely?