I’ve been in joint discussions where “the idea forming” was really one party thinking out loud and doing almost all the work, and the other providing approximately the same function as a rubber duck.

Sometimes the one doing the heavy lifting is me; sometimes it’s the other person, and I’m happy to make squeaky rubber duck noises that help. And with some people we have switched roles, even during the conversation. And perception will not track with reality because we’re all the hero of our own story.

Very hard to assign credit after the fact without a verbatim transcript, which written letters provide here.

Try reading the article?

And you don't like giving credit to people that help you? You may be successful by some measures, but not by the more important ones