Hard work feels most rewarding when it is recognized properly.

This man works full-time with a company, but also does side projects in his free time.

A coworker approached him and asked if they could present his project to their boss.

He refused and said he was not comfortable sharing credit with anyone who didn’t help build it.

So now, he is being called selfish by his team.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for refusing to let my coworker use my personal project to impress our boss?

I (25M) work in a mid-sized company where most of us are pretty chill.

But we’re all under pressure to show initiative because there’s talk of promotions soon.

Over the last couple months, I’ve been working on a side project at home.

It’s basically a dashboard tool that organizes some of our team’s data way faster than the clunky software we’re stuck with.

This man casually mentioned his side project to his team at lunch one day.

I never promised it to the company.

It was more of a “for fun/learning” project that I happened to mention casually at lunch one day.

One of my coworkers (29F) immediately lit up.

She asked if she could demo it during her upcoming presentation to our boss.

She said it would “look good for the whole team” and might “open doors for both of us.”

He doesn’t feel comfortable presenting it to his boss.

Here’s the thing: I don’t feel comfortable with that.

The tool isn’t fully finished. I’m not ready to share it.

And honestly, it feels wrong that she wants to put her name on something I spent my nights and weekends building.

I told her I’d rather not have it shown around yet.

His coworker got annoyed and called him selfish.

She got visibly annoyed and said I was being selfish and holding back the team.

A couple other coworkers gave me side eyes like I was hoarding credit.

Now I feel weird, like maybe I am making it about me when it could help everyone.

But at the same time… it’s my project.

Nobody asked me to do it. Nobody offered to help build it.

Now, he’s wondering if what he did was right.

If I just hand it over, won’t that set the precedent that my work is free for anyone to use for their own shine?

So, AITA for not letting her present something I made outside of work hours?

Even if it might’ve benefited the team?

Let’s find out what others have to say about this.

This person offers some useful advice.

This one shares their personal thoughts.

They wanted to steal the credit, says this one.

Finally, short and simple.

Your work outside your work isn’t anybody’s business.

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