The worst trait of an employee is untrustworthiness

Among the many attributes people bring to the workplace, one stands out as an absolute “confidence breaker,” according to a Harvard career expert.

Heidi K says: Gardner, a professional leadership consultant and distinguished fellow at Harvard Law School, says it’s “attributing to other people’s ideas.” “To me, that says one of two things,” she told CNBC Make It. Untrustworthiness or incompetence.

that it Unethical To pass off someone else’s work or ideas as your own, and this gives the impression that you don’t respect your colleagues, says Gardner: “Maybe they can’t actually tell how much value the people around them add to success. And that inability to appreciate the contributions of others is a big red flag for them.” for me “.

You may not even realize that you’re showing signs of taking credit for the work of others—such as accepting your manager’s praise for a group project instead of sharing it with your teammates, or presenting an idea that you and a colleague brainstormed together without specifically mentioning their contributions.

This does not mean that you need to stop cooperating. Gardner says that teamwork is critical to the success of any company and, by extension, your own success.

Instead, you should be transparent when the idea is not yours to avoid coming across as untrustworthy.

“I have to believe someone isn’t stupid in order to cooperate with them,” says Gardner. “I have to believe that when they challenge or question me, they’re doing it from a place of real construct.” “If someone takes credit for someone else’s work or ideas, they are not trustworthy in that sense.”

This reflects one of billionaire Warren Buffett’s most enduring principles: trustworthiness is the most valued trait of any employee. in 1998 speech With MBA students at the University of Florida, Buffett shared the three main qualities he looks for in a potential employee or business partner.

“We are looking for intelligence information, we are looking for initiative or energy, and we are looking for integrity,” he said. “And if they don’t have the latter, the first two will kill you. Because if you’re going to get someone without integrity, you want him lazy and stupid.”

The key to success, Gardner says, is “Smart collaboration,” a term she coined to describe when colleagues work together on a task that could have been accomplished on their own. It leads to increased confidence, productivity, and quality of work, she says—as long as everyone is transparent about who contributed to the project, that is.

Plagiarism and dishonesty are “anti-collaboration,” says Gardner, and this is the #1 trait professionals should stay away from.

Don’t Miss: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, your work, and your life? Subscribe to our new newsletter!

Take this survey and tell us how you want to take your money and career to the next level.