Inspiring Workplaces 
The Way Work Ought to Be!

#1,132- July 8, 2026

Soccer/football fever is underway, so it's interesting to notice how fans are speaking about their country's team. I've written about this phenomenon before: When "your" team loses fans tend to say, "THEY lost," but when your team wins, well, of COURSE you must have had something to do with it because suddenly fans tend to say, "WE won!" 

Speaking of this, a study of 3,800 managers cited in Forbes found that when managers took credit for other people's work, they were ranked as being highly ineffective (making it to only the 13th percentile); whereas managers who gave credit to their team were regarded as highly effective, ranking in the 85th percentile of managers.

Credit stealing by managers is considered one of the top red flags indicative of poor leadership. A lack of sharing credit or praising deserving employees is consistently cited as one of the top drivers of disengagement, low morale, and higher employee turnover at work.    

Conversely, Gallup research found that employees who regularly receive credit demonstrate greater productivity, achieve higher customer service scores, and are far more likely to stay with their organization.

Now, you do not have to be a manager for this to matter. If you want to earn a reputation as a valued and trusted teammate, don't be a glory hog! Be the person who is effusively generous with their praise and who recognizes the team who helped you achieve your goals.