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Confidence / Confidence at Work / Lesson 12
LESSON 12 · CONFIDENCE AT WORK

Share Credit and Claim Yours

Thirty-two easy ways to share credit and claim yours, so you build a team and a good name at the same time.

Generosity and visibility go together. Be fair to everyone.

40 tipsEasy things to say7-day plan
Start with tip 1
Jump to the 7-day plan

40 tips that really help

These ideas come from Lean In (Sheryl Sandberg), The Confidence Code (Katty Kay and Claire Shipman), Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.

Photo for the tip: Share credit and claim yours
TIP 1

Share credit and claim yours

Confident people give credit generously and claim their own contribution plainly. Both build trust: sharing credit makes allies; claiming yours ensures your work is seen. A simple formula is “We achieved X; my part was Y.”

TRY THIS
Rewrite a recent success as: “We achieved ___; my part was ___.”
Photo for the tip: Know your part
TIP 2

Know your part

Write it.

TRY THIS
List.
Photo for the tip: Name your part with facts
TIP 3

Name your part with facts

Specific.

TRY THIS
Write.
Photo for the tip: Name others' parts
TIP 4

Name others' parts

Specific.

TRY THIS
Write.
Photo for the tip: Say "we" for team results
TIP 5

Say "we" for team results

Honest.

TRY THIS
Practise.
Photo for the tip: Say "I" for your actions
TIP 6

Say "I" for your actions

Honest.

TRY THIS
Practise.
Photo for the tip: Thank people publicly
TIP 7

Thank people publicly

In meetings.

TRY THIS
Do it.
Photo for the tip: Thank people privately
TIP 8

Thank people privately

Notes.

TRY THIS
Send.
Photo for the tip: Mention names
TIP 9

Mention names

In updates.

TRY THIS
Include.
Photo for the tip: Avoid taking all credit
TIP 10

Avoid taking all credit

Trust.

TRY THIS
Check.
Photo for the tip: Avoid hiding your role
TIP 11

Avoid hiding your role

Visibility.

TRY THIS
Check.
Photo for the tip: Avoid vague "we"
TIP 12

Avoid vague "we"

Be clear.

TRY THIS
Add detail.
Photo for the tip: Avoid false modesty
TIP 13

Avoid false modesty

Own it.

TRY THIS
Say it.
Photo for the tip: Correct mistakes gently
TIP 14

Correct mistakes gently

“Just to clarify, I led X.”

TRY THIS
Practise.
Photo for the tip: Speak up when credit is taken
TIP 15

Speak up when credit is taken

Calm and factual.

TRY THIS
Plan.
Photo for the tip: Document your work
TIP 16

Document your work

Emails and notes.

TRY THIS
Keep.
Photo for the tip: Send recaps
TIP 17

Send recaps

After projects.

TRY THIS
Write.
Photo for the tip: Share updates with managers
TIP 18

Share updates with managers

Regular.

TRY THIS
Schedule.
Photo for the tip: Celebrate others
TIP 19

Celebrate others

Genuine.

TRY THIS
Do it.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a team win
TIP 20

Scene: a team win

“The team did…, I handled…”

TRY THIS
Say it.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a presentation
TIP 21

Scene: a presentation

Credit helpers.

TRY THIS
Name them.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a performance review
TIP 22

Scene: a performance review

List your part.

TRY THIS
Prepare.
Photo for the tip: Scene: someone repeats your idea
TIP 23

Scene: someone repeats your idea

“Glad you like my idea; here’s more.”

TRY THIS
Practise.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a manager forgets you
TIP 24

Scene: a manager forgets you

Send a summary.

TRY THIS
Email.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a client praises
TIP 25

Scene: a client praises

“Thanks; the team and I worked hard.”

TRY THIS
Say it.
Photo for the tip: Scene: social media
TIP 26

Scene: social media

Tag teammates.

TRY THIS
Do it.
Photo for the tip: Scene: awards
TIP 27

Scene: awards

Thank the team.

TRY THIS
Prepare.
Photo for the tip: Scene: a cross-team project
TIP 28

Scene: a cross-team project

Be clear on roles.

TRY THIS
Agree.
Photo for the tip: Scene: remote teams
TIP 29

Scene: remote teams

Share in writing.

TRY THIS
Post.
Photo for the tip: Scene: sharing a draft
TIP 30

Scene: sharing a draft

Acknowledge input.

TRY THIS
Note.
Photo for the tip: Scene: failures
TIP 31

Scene: failures

Share responsibility.

TRY THIS
Own.
Photo for the tip: Build a culture
TIP 32

Build a culture

Credit-sharing.

TRY THIS
Model.
Photo for the tip: Ask for credit
TIP 33

Ask for credit

If missing.

TRY THIS
Request.
Photo for the tip: Keep a wins log
TIP 34

Keep a wins log

Evidence.

TRY THIS
Update.
Photo for the tip: Practise phrases
TIP 35

Practise phrases

Saying them aloud.

TRY THIS
Rehearse.
Photo for the tip: Ask a mentor
TIP 36

Ask a mentor

How they do it.

TRY THIS
Ask.
Photo for the tip: Be patient
TIP 37

Be patient

Habits grow.

TRY THIS
Keep going.
Photo for the tip: Seek help
TIP 38

Seek help

Coaching.

TRY THIS
Consider it.
Photo for the tip: Celebrate
TIP 39

Celebrate

Fair credit.

TRY THIS
Mark it.
Photo for the tip: Close with balance
TIP 40

Close with balance

Say, “Credit given, credit claimed.”

TRY THIS
Write it.

Easy things to say

When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.

CREDIT

“Sam did great work on this.”

CLAIM

“I led the analysis.”

SHARE

“We did this together, and my part was the data.”

THANK

“Thank you all for your help.”

UPDATE

“I will send a summary of what each did.”

CLOSE

“It was a team win.”

Your first week

One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.

DAY 1
Track your work
DAY 2
Name others by name
DAY 3
Say what you did
DAY 4
Use I and we well
DAY 5
Write updates
DAY 6
Thank people
DAY 7
Be consistent

Further reading

  • Lean In (Sheryl Sandberg)
  • The Confidence Code (Katty Kay and Claire Shipman)
  • Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss)

The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.

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These lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.

More lessons in “Confidence at Work”

Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.

← Previous: Handle Being InterruptedNext: Speak Up in a Big Group →

  1. Prepare Your Three Stories
  2. Answer "Tell Me About Yourself" Well
  3. Handle the Question You Fear
  4. Ask Great Questions Back
  5. Talk About Your Strengths Without Bragging
  6. Recover From a Bad Answer
  7. Follow Up With a Winning Note
  8. Speak in the First Ten Minutes
  9. Prepare One Point Before Every Meeting
  10. Disagree With a Colleague Kindly
  11. Handle Being Interrupted
  12. Share Credit and Claim Yours
  13. Speak Up in a Big Group
  14. Look Confident in Video Meetings
  15. Ask for Feedback Regularly
  16. Receive Criticism Without Crumbling
  17. Ask for a Raise With Evidence
  18. Share Ideas Without Fear
  19. Say No to Extra Work Politely
  20. Report Problems Early
  21. Show Your Value Every Month
  22. Introduce Yourself in a New Team
  23. Make Friends at Work
  24. Ask for Help Without Shame
  25. Handle a Difficult Colleague
  26. Stop Being the Office Pushover
  27. Celebrate Others and Be Celebrated
  28. Build Your Reputation Quietly
  29. Take on a Stretch Project
  30. Overcome Impostor Syndrome
  31. Lead Without a Title
  32. Give Your First Presentation
  33. Mentor Someone Newer
  34. Handle a Mistake at Work
  35. Set a Career Goal You Believe In
  36. Learn One New Skill Every Quarter
  37. Network Without Feeling Fake
  38. Say Yes to Opportunities That Scare You
  39. Protect Your Energy and Balance
  40. Your Confidence at Work Plan
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