The Importance of Giving Credit: The True Barometer of a Great Leader and Why It Matters More Than Ever (2024)

The Importance of Giving Credit: The True Barometer of a Great Leader and Why It Matters More Than Ever

It's an age-old saying: "Give credit where credit is due." In today's very greedy and overly competitive world, acknowledging the contributions of others is more important than ever. Whether you're working on a team project, collaborating on a creative endeavor, or building a reputation in your career, recognizing the work of others is crucial for success.

People have tried to steal credit for my work and rewrite my history as long as I've been out there. Fortunately, I have everything documented, and the truth will come out when I write and release my book and documentary (it's gonna be a doozy) and absolutely NOTHING will be held back! Giving someone credit has a powerful impact in both professional and personal settings. It boosts morale, creates a culture of collaboration and recognition, and fosters a sense of appreciation and respect in personal relationships. It also builds trust and creates a foundation of mutual support that is essential for maintaining healthy relationships.

Giving credit is not just a matter of professional integrity or ethics, it is also a way of showing respect and appreciation for the hard work and dedication of others. When you give credit where credit is due, you build trust and goodwill with your colleagues and collaborators. This can lead to greater success and opportunities in the long run, as people are more likely to want to work with someone they trust and respect.

Failing to give credit can be detrimental to relationships and reputations. It can create resentment and mistrust among collaborators and even lead to legal disputes. Unfortunately I've had to go after a few thieves over the years with legal action. As an entertainment lawyer once told me, "you have to choose between credit or money, but you can't have both." In other words, if you prioritize money over giving credit, you risk damaging your relationships and losing the trust of your collaborators. My experience with the entertainment lawyer taught me a valuable lesson about the importance of giving credit where credit is due. As someone who truly values the contributions of others, it was disheartening to see my lawyer prioritize money over acknowledging my work and contributions. I realized that this approach can eliminate trust and damage relationships, ultimately leading to a loss of opportunities and professional setbacks. Needless to say I FIRED that slimy P.O.S. Choosing between credit and money is not realistic as both are essential in building a career. Prioritizing money over giving credit risks damaging relationships and losing the trust of ALL collaborators.

Giving proper credit fosters a sense of loyalty and appreciation among the people in the community you work with. It is like a secret handshake that tells your collaborators, coworkers, friends, and family that they are valued members of your community. Sharing credit is the key to building long-lasting relationships and creating a culture of positivity and support that benefits everyone involved.

Know the differences when it comes to creative work, there are two types of contributors: work-for-hire contractors and collaborators. A work-for-hire is a professional who is hired for a specific job, usually with a set rate, to complete a project. They typically do not retain any rights to the work and are not credited as the author or creator. Collaborators, on the other hand, are partners in the creative process, sharing their expertise and insights with the goal of creating a piece of work that represents the contributions of each team member. Collaborators are often credited for their work and may have rights to the final product.

To be overly generous with sharing credit, start by acknowledging the unique skills and talents that each member of your community brings to the table. Take the time to listen to their ideas and give them full credit for their contributions, no matter how small. Don't be afraid to share the spotlight. By highlighting their successes, you'll be creating a culture of positivity and support that benefits everyone involved. Remember, true greatness is not achieved alone - it takes a team effort, and being overly generous with sharing credit is a powerful way to build an amazing team.

I want to acknowledge the people who always prioritize giving me credit for my contributions both personally and professionally: my mom Diane, my girlfriend Roos, my Blue Scorpion Investments partner Gautam, collaborator and trusted confidant James, my friend and muse David and everyone else who I did not mention, you know who you are. THANK YOU!

There are many ways to document your work and contributions, depending on the context and the type of work you're doing. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Keep a detailed record of your activities using software like Notion (https://www.notion.so/product) or Toggl (https://toggl.com/) to track your contributions and the time you spend on projects.
2. Use version control, especially for digital content or software projects. Learn more about version control from this helpful article by Atlassian (https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/what-is-version-control).
3. Get credit in writing by creating a unique identifier for yourself and your contributions using a platform like ORCID (https://orcid.org/).
4. Maintain strong relationships with collaborators by communicating clearly about contributions and expectations, and using collaboration tools like Slack (https://slack.com/) or Trello (https://trello.com/) and project management tools like Asana (https://asana.com/) to keep everyone on the same page and track contributions.

It is frustrating to deal with people who steal credit or rewrite history, remember that documentation is a powerful tool for protecting your work and demonstrating your contributions. By being diligent and proactive about documenting your work, you can ensure that you will get the credit you deserve and that your contributions will be publicly recognized even if they're not valued by the thieves.

Here's some reading suggestions and while these books may not be specifically about giving credit, they do touch on the topic and offer valuable insights on how to be successful and maintain positive relationships in both personal and professional settings.

If you want to make sure you're properly credited for your work, creations and contributions I'd suggest Wikipedia as a great starting point. To add credits to a Wikipedia page, you will need to have a registered account and be logged in. Here are the steps to add credits with a hyperlink:

1. Go to the Wikipedia page you want to edit.
2. Click on the "Edit" button at the top of the page. This will open the editing interface.
3. Scroll to the section of the page where you want to add the credit and create a new line for it.
4. Type the text of the credit, including any relevant information or hyperlinks, using appropriate Wikipedia formatting.
5. Preview your changes to make sure everything looks correct.
6. If everything looks good, click the "Save page" button to publish your changes.

To add a hyperlink, use the following syntax: [URL link text]. Replace "URL" with the web address of the page you want to link to, and "link text" with the text you want to appear as the hyperlink. For example, to create a hyperlink to Google, you would use [https://www.google.com Google].

Protect and register your work, here are some top government-approved websites for trademarks, copyrights, and patents in various countries:

United States:

Canada:

United Kingdom:

Australia:

These are just a few examples of government-approved websites for trademarks, copyrights, and patents in some countries. Please note that laws and regulations may vary by country, and it's always a good idea to consult with a legal professional for specific guidance on intellectual property matters.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but always document your creations with dates, times and locations...Jamison