You may be doing the work but there are plenty of vultures looking for the credit, if you are not savvy. The new economy creates a whole other set of dynamics around this issue of work and credit, compared to times past. Ideas and creativity matter more than ever and it is a differentiating point of value. We are increasingly naked. You cannot hide behind some big brand name or use mere appearances.
No, your talent and abilities are what is on display. We all have access to the world now and if we can’t find what we are looking for, we can move on pretty quickly. We are not locked in by geography or disconnection.
Thus, your value around the ability to innovate and create becomes the crux point in the talent chain. Those that can merely fulfill are lower in the food chain and their work becomes someone else’s credit. It’s a reality that was practiced throughout the ages.
Edison did this with Tesla. Tesla ascribed to the false paradigm that his work only mattered and credit would rightfully fall to him. His obscured legacy and poverty resulted from his naive worldview. Edison on the other hand exploited Tesla and many others by focusing on the credit rather than the work. He used the brilliance of others and history ascribed the brilliance to him.
This happens in commissioned work, employment situations and market rivalries. It won’t be going away anytime soon as long as there are vultures out there leeching off the efforts from others.
Part of the creative innovators job is not just to bring art and novelty into the world, but to protect their ideas and hard work. Who gets the credit matters a great deal. There’s lots of scenarios and dynamics with each scenario that require shrewd maneuvering. The main thing is to ensure your work goes unnoticed until you want it to be noticed and ascribed to you publicly.
In an ideal world, the person that does the work gets the credit. In the real world, you have to fight hard for the credit independent of the work.
Ever had this dilemma? What did you do?
