Dear Rachel,
I read your advice about the boss who can't keep her nose out of other people's business. I have a different issue, and maybe you can help. My boss is essentially a decent person, and she respects my work. At one point she was going to leave and even recommended me as her replacement. My problem is that I basically run our section, but she takes credit for all the good things I do. And worse, she tells me her boss doesn't think I have what it takes to assume her job in the event she leaves. So it's just not my ego that's wounded. She could leave and I could very well get passed over. I know she's looking to move on. What should I do?-- Miffed in Arizona

Dear Miffed,
This is not an uncommon situation. Bosses are held accountable for how well or how poorly their sections do, so it's only natural that they take credit when things run well. You really can't blame them.

But at the same time you have good reason to ask for credit for what you've brought to your section.

You could go to her immediate boss and air your gripe, but of course that would be a huge mistake. In these times, managers are worried about dollars, not egos and crushed feelings. You'd come off as a whiner and you would achieve nothing.

Your best course is to sit down with your boss and work it out.

You needn't ask her to go out of her way on every occasion to give you credit for every smart thing you've done--how you reorganized this or cleaned up some mess over there.

When the big boss comes in from out of town, and your boss is showing him around, let her crow about all the wonderful things the department is doing.

What you need her to do is give you credit where it really matters, and that's on your performance review. Weeks before the review, sit down with her and get her to commit.

You've worked together long enough, so you can talk frankly. You argument is very simple.

First you deserve the credit, which I'm sure she'll acknowledge if she once recommended you as her replacement.

But more important, you explain that giving you credit on your performance review makes her look good as well.

She comes off as an effective manager for having a strong No. 2 person who if needed could run the department without her--and who would be the ideal person to take her place should she leave.

Top managers are always worried about succession: who's going to step in if so-and-so-leaves? Their great fear is finding themselves with a department that's in sudden chaos.

What you tell her should come as no surprise. You don't say so, but she sounds like someone who knows how things work. This is just office politics 101. ("You take care of me, I take care of you. Right? Right.")

The purpose here is to talk it out and get her on your side, willing to write the review you think you deserve.