alright reddit, i (27F) work at a mid-sized marketing firm and this just happened, and i need to know if i’m overreacting. so i just finished this huge client campaign that i basically ran from start to finish. i’m talking weeks of digging through research, making strategy decks, coordinating with multiple teams, editing graphics, handling timelines, and building the final presentation. i stayed late so many nights i lost track, and honestly, it felt like i was the only one keeping it all together. it was stressful, but i was proud of how it came out.
so there’s this coworker, “lisa” (30F). normally we get along okay, but she’s one of those people who likes to pop in and give opinions like she’s the boss. a couple of times while i was working on the campaign, she wandered by my desk and made a few tiny suggestions. like one time she said “maybe change the font on this slide,” and another time she suggested a wording tweak in one of the copy blocks. super minor stuff that literally didn’t change anything important. i barely even noticed most of it because i was so focused on the bigger parts.
today she emails our manager asking to be listed as a co-lead on the project. apparently she thinks those tiny suggestions entitle her to equal credit. i was stunned. i felt my stomach drop because this is a big project and being listed as co-lead is a big deal for my career. i mean, i did 95 percent of the work and she’s acting like we ran it together.
i told her straight up in a reply email that while i appreciated her minor contributions, the project was primarily my work and giving her co-lead credit wouldn’t be fair. she immediately got defensive and accused me of being selfish, saying that i’m “not a team player” and that i was trying to make her look bad. she even went to HR later and framed it like i was taking advantage of her help, which made me so frustrated because it was such a minor thing.
our manager pulled me aside afterward and said they saw that the majority of the work was mine and that i was in the right, but i still feel stressed. it’s awkward at work now because i know lisa is salty and i feel like she’s going to try to undermine me in future projects. i hate confrontation, but i felt like i had to stand up for myself, because giving her equal credit would have been completely unfair and honestly felt like she was trying to ride my coattails.
so reddit, AITA for refusing to give her equal credit on a project i literally ran alone while she contributed like 5 percent? i feel like if i give in, it sets a bad precedent for future work.
NTA.
>today she emails our manager asking to be listed as a co-lead on the project
co-lead? You are wayyy too nice. Asking to be named co-lead is WAYYYY different then wanting some credit.
She isn’t saying acknowledge my work on the team, shes saying she is leading the team. This would be disrespect to the rest of the team.
NTA and honestly I’m annoyed for you. Giving drive-by feedback is not the same as owning a project. If she had actually done meaningful work, you probably wouldn’t even be here asking this. The HR move feels especially gross, like she was trying to bully you into giving credit. Glad your manager saw through it. I’d just keep everything documented going forward and keep your distance.
HR Here…
NTA
Doing minor tweaks does not enable you to be a “co-lead” on a project. Good for you on standing your ground. If anything else happens, talk to your supervisor, but tell them if she continues, YOU will take it to HR.
NTA good for you for standing up for yourself! This only would’ve snowballed with her and your future projects.
Your manager has your back and that’s all that matters! You are fine. If anything she looks bad! Bc that’s WILD. I would breathe and let it go. This is a her problem.
Congrats on your hard work!
NTA. She’s the group project classmate that does barely any work and wants equal credit
I think you are overreacting saying she contributed 5%, more like 1%.
Less than 1%
NTA. Some people grab unearned credit. You are now warned about her, so be prepared. If you wanted to be obnoxious you could credit her with some minor clerical assists (if such crediting is allowed and won’t result in issues for your boss).
The fact that she ran to HR is the smoking gun. A professional who actually did the work would have a paper trail—emails, drafts, timestamps—to prove it. She had none of that, so she played the ‘feelings’ card. She tried to leverage ‘teamwork’ and ‘bullying’ to extort credit she didn’t earn. That is not being a ‘team player’; that is being a parasite. HR and your manager saw right through it because competence leaves a trail, and so does incompetence. You didn’t make her look bad; her own audacity did that.
And she’s relying on OPs preference to avoid confrontation and leveraging an attempt at social shaming.
She knows exactly what she’s doing.
OP acknowledge her ‘contribution’ exactly as you did here, “Coworker had some interesting feedback about font and working choices that were helpful. Thanks Coworker!”
If she pushes back especially in front of others, “I kept a strict paper trail of edits and evolutions of decks. Please show us your edits in the paper trail.”
OP she’s going to try to catch you off guard so keep multiple scripts ready.
“Oh, interesting coworker, your email says you did X. How does that translate to co-lead level participation?”
“Oh, interesting. Tell me how you would have run the whole project?”
Never refute or deny. Respond back w your ‘receipts’.
If she tries to get others involved, especially social shaming like, “I did a lot and OP is being selfish not to make me co-lead.”
“A co-lead would have been significant in everything from the jump. Please show us how you did that. I don’t see your name or input anywhere until you sent the email on February 5. I would never not give credit where credit is due. Let’s look at your computer/input channels and consider your contributions across the life of the project. ”
You know she’s sneaky and you know she’ll try to sell a story.
Be prepared w the truth.
No, and you need to let your managers know that if they don’t get her under control they are looking at having to deal with your charging her with creating a toxic workplace.
I HATE this kind of crap. I had supervisors take credit for my work (as their own without ever letting anyone know that I did ALL the work) I’m so done with that bullshit.
Give credit where credit is due:
“And thanks to Lisa, who suggested a font change and a wording tweak here. I appreciate the support!”
NTA (and of course if you did the above, Lisa would probably freak out).
People like this should be fired on the spot imo.
NTA
I looked at your post history. 4 days ago you were only 20 years old. YTA for making up lies and posting them (and, yes, I reported it.)