We want to know if we’re meeting or exceeding expectations. Especially at work. Receiving recognition helps us know that our coworkers and bosses value our contributions to the team.

So when Reddit user u/MJB17‘s superior started repeatedly stealing credit for their accomplishments, the employee couldn’t keep silent. In a recent post on the subreddit r/PettyRevenge, they explained how they sabotaged the guy’s PowerPoint presentation, which even got the jerk demoted.

This employee couldn’t just sit there while their boss took all the credit for their work

Image credits: vladans (not the actual photo)

So they decided to add a few “surprises” to the guy’s PowerPoint presentation

Image credits: Bored Panda (not the actual photo)

Image credits: MJB17

In reality, our work doesn’t always speak for itself, so we have to advocate for it

Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)

When in 2019, the human resources firm Bamboo HR put together 24 potentially bad boss behaviors and asked more than 1,000 US-based employees in various roles to rate them from “totally acceptable” to “totally unacceptable,” taking credit for employees’ work was actually named to be the worst thing on that list. Obviously, it’s more than just infuriating; being pushed to the side like that can directly impact your career.

As much as we want to believe that our work speaks for itself, “in the real world, it matters who gets credit,” says Karen Dillon, author of the HBR Guide to Office Politics. “That all goes into the bank account of how much value you bring to the organization and plays into promotion decisions, raises, and assignments.” This is even more true when we talk about collaborative work, since it’s not immediately clear who has done what.

This is even more true when we talk about group projects

Image credits: Campaign Creators (not the actual photo)

While it might be tempting to openly confront the people who take your ideas, experts highlight that you shouldn’t act in the heat of the moment. Here are some principles you should remember in this type of situation:

Do:

• Give yourself time to calm down and assess the situation;
• Be clear about your contributions whenever you get an opportunity;
• Ask colleagues to mention your name when the idea or project comes up in conversation.

Don’t:

• Feel like you need to get credit for every single thing you do;
• Presume that the person had malicious intentions ­(credit stealing is often an accident);
• Make any accusations. Instead, ask the person questions to try to figure out why it happened.

According to Dillon, making your boss shine is usually part of the gig. “You may not get credit for the idea or for slaving over the analysis, but hopefully your boss absorbs that you’re an important part of her team,” she explains.

But of course, as we just saw, not all of them are so thoughtful.

Image credits: Rodeo Project Management Software (not the actual photo)

People had a lot to say about the OP’s payback

And some even shared their own similar stories

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