There is a small flinch that happens when someone hands a high performer a compliment. A pause. A quiet thought of “I wonder if they really mean it,” followed by a fast handoff of the credit to the team, to luck, to timing, to anything other than themselves. Most people doing this have no idea it is a pattern. It reads as humility, so it hides in plain sight.

Every time you move a win into the team’s column and a loss into your own, you are quietly editing your scorecard in one direction. Over months and years, that adds up to a distorted picture of your contribution, and it does not stay private. The systems that hand out promotions, scope, and pay reward the people whose work is visible. Deflect often enough and you file your best work under everyone else’s name.

In this episode, Ramona breaks down why this happens, why it is a choice rather than a fixed trait, and exactly what to do instead.

We cover:

• Why deflecting credit is not the same as humility, and what it actually protects you from
• The negativity-bias loop that makes praise slide off and criticism stick
• The language to give your manager an accurate account of your contribution without bragging
• A three-second practice that interrupts the deflection before it fires
• The attribution log that slowly rebuilds an honest view of your own work

If you have ever assumed good work speaks for itself, or felt a flicker of discomfort the last time someone praised you, this episode is for you.

Watch on YouTube

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Executive Presence Intensive: Archova’s 8-week program for mid-level managers and senior leaders ready for bigger responsibility, covering visible self-advocacy, stakeholder communication, and presence in high-stakes moments. Kicks off again in the fall. archova.org/executive-presence-program
• The Leadership Accelerator: where the weekly update email tool is taught. archova.org/leadership-accelerator
• Free New Manager Masterclass: archova.org/masterclass

Links

• Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
• Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
• Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters into your most important meeting of the week: archova.org/1on1-course
• Grab your copy of Ramona’s best-selling book ‘The Confident & Competent New Manager’: amzn.to/3TuOdcP

Other Episodes You Might Like

• Episode 267 – Horizontal Leadership: Creating Teams That Own Their Work
• Episode 281 – Are You Overexplaining? When Leaders Should (and Shouldn’t) Justify Themselves

What's Next?

• Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
• Want to better understand your leadership style? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype: archova.org/quiz
• In your first manager role and don’t want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass: archova.org/masterclass
• Love the podcast? Leave a review at ramonashaw.com/itunes and on our Spotify page. Thanks for your support of this show!
• If this episode inspired you, take a screenshot listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw

* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.