Good leaders operate from the principle of giving credit away and taking the blame for anything that goes wrong.
Their extreme accountability requires them to shoulder any criticism directed at the team. They believe that their long-term credibility depends on promoting others and staying humble.
The same doesn’t always apply to team members.
In many organizations, the idea of broadcasting positive outcomes is essential for teams and team members to receive the recognition, compensation, and rewards they desire.
While the best leaders often deflect accolades and credit, team members are sometimes encouraged to do the opposite.
If those with influence don’t know of the great work the team and its members are doing, they will often look past them when it comes to handing out rewards and promotions.
However, the practices of self-promotion can vary significantly from one organization to another.
Some organizations are Take Credit workplaces, where, as long as the team member or team doesn’t go too far, it is perfectly acceptable and expected to tout good outcomes and results.
Other organizations are Share Credit workplaces, where it is considered bad form to claim individual responsibility for positive results. This includes teams, as team members are expected to point to colleagues, other teams, and those in support roles as the reason for their success.
A Take Credit culture doesn’t mean that people should have sharp elbows, hog recognition, or overly promote themselves. Instead, team members are encouraged to update others about their successes and keep their colleagues informed about their results.
The pronouns “me” and “I” are not discouraged, and team members are often given the stage to highlight what they have been up to and the results they have attained.
Working in a Share Credit culture doesn’t imply that no one speaks about their accomplishments or presents on the great work they have produced, but they are expected to do so while touting their colleagues and thanking others for their contributions. In Share Credit cultures, referring too much to your individual effort is deemed to be self-centered and lacking in humility.
Of course, it is essential to know which kind of culture you work in.
This can be confusing, as the norm of credit sharing that exists in any workplace is sometimes hard to see, especially for those new to the organization or for those who have come from a workplace that values the opposite principle.
