Give more than you take: what redistribution of credit means for corporate culture

Are you ready to hear about a corporate culture no-brainer that transforms team dynamics?

The number one reason employees leave their jobs is due to dissatisfaction with their bosses. And the number one reason employees are dissatisfied with their bosses is due to lack of recognition. Last but not least, the number one reason employees feel a lack of recognition is due to their bosses getting the credit for their own contributions.

It stands to reason then, that we could plug some massive holes in employee retention and satisfaction by simply giving credit where credit’s due. Pleasant as that sounds, it’s an extremely subjective and nearly unenforceable policy. No, we need something fairer, more contagious, and easier to document.

It’s called Redistribution of Credit, and it’s fueled by a simple principle that reminds all employees to give more than they take.

One of society’s great problems — and not just in business — is the tendency towards hero worship. We gravitate toward the idea that one person must be the focal point of any success, especially if that person is already seen as successful. These people accumulate the wealth of credit, and in doing so, gain outsized influence over the organization and its priorities.

To put it another way: your boss may not be actively stealing credit… we just tend to foist it upon them and let it pile up. The flipside, though, is…