One of the clearest examples of someone acting poorly—acting shitty, to be blunt—is taking credit for someone else’s work. It’s a move that instantly reveals a lack of integrity, leadership, and respect. Whether it happens in school, at work, or in creative circles, this kind of behavior corrodes trust and makes people question whether collaboration is even worth the risk.
Why It’s Shitty
At its core, taking credit for someone else’s efforts is theft. You’re presenting another person’s time, thought, creativity, and sweat as your own. It’s dishonest. It’s also manipulative, because it often relies on power dynamics—where the person taking credit knows the real contributor is too junior, too polite, or too scared to call it out.
This behavior:
- Destroys morale
- Breeds resentment
- Erodes team trust
- Promotes mediocrity (the wrong people get rewarded)
- Blocks actual talent from being recognized or promoted
In a group, it signals that merit doesn’t matter. That loudness beats skill. That politics win over effort.
What Would Be Better
Integrity isn’t flashy, but it’s powerful. A better approach looks like this:
- Give direct credit where it’s due
- Share wins as a team, even if you’re the leader
- Amplify voices that contributed behind the scenes
- Be transparent about collaboration and delegation
Acknowledging others doesn’t make you look weaker—it makes you look trustworthy and confident. People are drawn to leaders who shine light on others, not those who hog the spotlight.
A Real Example
Imagine two coworkers working on a report. One crunches all the data and writes the content. The other adds a cover slide and presents it in a meeting. The presenter then says, “Here’s the report I made.” That’s classic credit theft. Not only is it dishonest, it creates tension and ruins the working relationship. It also teaches everyone else in the room that hard work won’t be rewarded—performance theater will.
The Long-Term Cost
Sure, someone might get away with it once or twice. But over time, people notice. Reputations build slowly and collapse quickly. Those who habitually steal credit often find themselves isolated, distrusted, and eventually passed over. Why? Because no one wants to work with someone who can’t be relied on to tell the truth.
Final Thought
Taking credit for someone else’s work isn’t clever. It’s cowardly. It signals weakness of character, lack of originality, and fear of being irrelevant. The better path is simple: acknowledge others, share recognition, and trust that your own contributions—if real—will speak for themselves.
