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Embrace your hype era
The problem with taking credit and what you're really taking away
Kat Fergerson
January 14, 2024
If you aren’t on LinkedIn regularly or in the marketing world, you may have missed a viral post about the strength of the Stanley brand (yes, those beloved cups that recently took Target by storm with a collaboration with Starbucks).
The post took off for two reasons:
It was an amazing case study about the impact of effective marketing on revenue.
It was immediately copied word-for-word by hundreds of other people, without giving credit to the original poster, Sierra Nicole.
There are SO many things wrong with this.
Plagiarizing by lifting sentences or ideas within your own original ideas is one thing. Doing an exact copy is plain stealing.
🚫 It’s lazy
🚫 It’s damaging to the originator
🚫 It’s damaging to your reputation
The whole thing got me thinking.
Why do so many leaders take credit for work that isn’t theirs?
The problem with taking credit
If you’ve been working long enough, it’s happened to you. A leader has presented your work as their own and reaped the rewards.
Sometimes it’s not your direct leader, but another leader in the organization.
There is no spin here. It sucks.
If someone is taking credit for your work they:
👉️ Panicked
👉️ Think they need to take credit in order to get ahead
👉️ Didn’t think twice about it (no EQ)
Underneath it all:
They don’t understand the power of recognition.
Recognition = being seen for your hard work and expertise. Which can translate to all sorts of things: social clout. Opportunities. Followers. More money.
While many of the motivators are extrinsic, there’s one big intrinsic factor:
Being recognized for something that other people value makes us feel valued.
And in order to be effective at our jobs, we need to feel valued.
How can we, as leaders, be better recognizers?
One of my favorite things to witness in the marketing community was how many people stepped up and posted about Sierra’s original content. That’s tip #1: if you see someone taking credit for work that they didn’t do, correct them. Find ways to be specific about it.
Tip #2: don’t wait for performance reviews to recognize the work your team is doing. Make it a habit to recognize expertise when you see it. Document it wherever possible.
Tip #3: ask your team how they like to be recognized. For some, they want the glory of a mention at your next all company meeting. For others, they may prefer direct one-to-one feedback. Don’t assume that there’s one right way to recognize someone.
Tip #4: DON’T TAKE CREDIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK.
Tip #5: As a leader, it’s your time to embrace your hype-woman era. It’s your job to elevate and give credit and fully let others shine for their contributions,. Be the hype for your team!
In the world of HR
🙏 Friendly reminder: If you are anti-DEI, I would skip posting Martin Luther King Jr. quotes tomorrow. You have to do the work to earn the association.
❓ Hot new benefit? A popular company was highlighted for guaranteeing severance in their job descriptions this week. IMO: in an insecure job market, this benefit is on the 💸 to reassure candidates and create solid trust. I do think that if you’re junior in your career, you should be given coaching to up-skill vs. shown the door. What do you think? Is this a benefit you want to see more of?
❤️ Leadership tip I love: Plan for conflict before it happens. Reginald J. Williams made a post about Designing Alliances that I adored this week. The point? Have your teammates choose how they want to show up for each other should things in a project/partnership/relationship go off track. Check it out 👇
Kat’s Corner
My freshman year English teacher had flexible seating & a couch in her classroom. I picked the couch every class. When the year was over, she made a sign and put it on the wall above my spot: “Kat’s Corner.” Consider this a little peak into my world.
🎵 What I’m listening to: Stick Season by Noah Kahan. I took a long drive this weekend and blasted this song on repeat. Folk rock has such a vibe and I’m loving this jam.
📚 What I’m reading: Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H. This is an audiobook listen for me and it’s incredible. I can hardly believe it’s a debut. The author’s story traces stories in the Quran alongside their own queer identity and is magnificent.
🥸 What’s bringing me energy: Connecting! I’ve been mentoring a bunch this month and really loving it. S/o to twenty for being an awesome mentor community.
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