You did the work. They took the credit. Now what?
You didn’t imagine it. Here’s how to respond, reclaim, and rise above.
Welcome back to Lead with Intention!
Today we’re talking about one of the questions I get asked a lot as a coach and on my social media channels. And it’s a tricky one…
“Louise, how can I stop my colleague from taking credit for all my ideas and my work?”
Give me a ❤️ if you’ve ever had this experience?
I used to suffer with this in my corporate career, and after one too many experiences with this, I decided to work on it with my coach.
I’ve since developed my thinking and want to share it with you today. Some of the advice may well surprise! (But I promise it works…)
Today’s post is a paid one, as it’s full of the practical coaching tips and advice I deliver weekly to help you flourish in your career. Sign up below and you also get full access to what is now a considerable archive of equally valuable information on topics such as:
Imposter syndrome and how to overcome it
Setting goals that actually take you somewhere in your career
Managing your time (and your energy)
People pleasing (and how to stop it!)
Escaping the busy trap (so you can actually, lead…)
And more…
You did the work. They took the credit. Now what?
It’s one of the most disheartening moments in any career.
You delivered the result. You stayed late, wrote the strategy, spotted the risk no one else saw. And then, in the big meeting, someone else subtly, or not so subtly, claims it as theirs.
Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it’s a colleague. Maybe it’s someone who genuinely believes it was a “team effort.”
Either way, your name is missing from the narrative.
Let’s talk about what this really triggers
When I coach professionals through this moment, what surfaces isn’t just frustration, it’s self-doubt:
“Did I not speak up clearly enough?”
“Should I have pushed harder?”
“Maybe they genuinely forgot…”
You start questioning your memory, your instincts, your impact.
And if it’s happened more than once? You might start shrinking back, thinking next time I’ll just let it go.
But here’s the truth…