Seek Where to Give Credit to Others

We've all been in a position where we feel like we didn't get enough credit for our contributions.  Receiving credit makes us feel validated and like our hard work is being recognized.  While we can't control the credit we receive, there's something we can control:  finding ways to give credit to others.

I came of age playing American Football.  I played lineman, a position that creates spaces for your teammates to be successful in scoring.  An offensive lineman only gets credit for penalties.  Rarely are we credited for scoring points.

If my name or number was announced during the game, I knew it was for something I did that hurt my team, a penalty.  The coach was clear when watching the film to give credit to the lineman who produced the space for scoring.  Among our peers we received credit, and we knew our value.  Though we enjoyed shared credit with our team, the special recognition went a long way.

The Credit Competition

In business, I continued to be a team performer.  I started out leading teams, then project teams, regional teams, country teams, a business unit teams, and now a business team. I always noticed the constant competition for credit.

Who is getting the credit?  Am I getting the credit for what I produced?  Is someone else?  Am I getting someone else’s credit?  

Here is where I toss the line to myself to “Seek where to give credit.”

Give Credit to Others

In all the roles I held as a leader of teams no one person accomplished anything worth noting. (If you are trying to find the exception, you are like me.) I still notice myself being pulled into the competition for credit game. (I am the one pulling myself, not others.)

Noticing this -- I don’t always remember -- I seek where to give credit, instead of seeking credit for myself.  

The individuals as a team produce the accomplishment, and acknowledging them with credit can trigger them to notice themselves as valuable or to make a difference in the world.  Take a look at your team and be sure to give credit where credit is due.

Making a Difference

I find being valuable or making a difference in the world existentially gratifying, and I notice others do as well.  Just as my coach did for us in front of our peers.

"Getting the assignment of credit right is important to everyone.  It is a driver of high performance.  It is key to making people feel fulfilled and motivated."  - Sachin H.  Jain, Harvard Business Review

I notice the opposite as well.  Not acknowledging a team accomplishment can trigger the team to see themselves as tools or not valuable.

I have run many experiments on how to give credit, from giving cash to having their names written on the wall with a description, to making a video they can share with their family.

When I see others who get caught up in the credit competition game, I toss the line "Seek where to give credit."

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