Question: Can I Put My Name On A Report I Delegated?

Your boss wants a report on some topic. You delegate to one of your subordinates the task of pulling tothether the material for the report. Instead of just giving you the material you asked for, the subordinate gives you a report that is almost complete. You just need to add a few things and edit the document. How do you put your name on the report you delegated?

Answer: You don't. If your subordinate did the work, he/she should receive credit for the work.

It's one thing if you have to pull together material from several sources, including a few subordinates, to prepare the report. You have put a substantial amount of work into it and deserve the credit you will get because it has your name on it. But if all you did was a few edits to and formatting of someone elses's work, put their name on it - not yours.

And while you should not take credit for their work, it is perfectly acceptable for you to take credit for having trained, developed, and motivated that individual to be able to produce such a high-caliber report. That's your job as a manager. Your boss knows that.