though is I make sure to deflect credit as HR. I feel like a base element of HR is to make other managers and leaders look good.

Not to pat myself on the back but, in the last 5 months I have:

-gotten significant raises for several individuals
-battled for a few struggling employees to get increased hours, extra time off, more favorable schedules accommodated.
-I've stopped 4 employees from getting terminated by identifying where leadership over them was lacking
-I've gotten two employees more significant severance
-Nearly doubled the number of fringe benefits (food, raffle things, fun events)
-Identified and fired the person ruining the work experience of a whole department (despite pushback from several leaders)
-De-escalated about 5 major employee arguments
-Pushed additional hires and higher wages in departments that were overwhelmed
-Advocated the hiring of 4 of our rockstar employees-for higher wages than we normally pay
-Terminated a long-time employee leadership loved who was making numerous female coworkers uncomfortable (lots more to that story)

80% of these things I publicly credit to senior leadership and managers but I was the driving force on every one of them. Truth is it is super fun to do that. I still know my part in it and managers know as well. I get to be a servant to leadership, who trusts and appreciates me more; leaving them more likely to support with my perspectives and advice, while I still get to do the right thing for the employees and the company. Maybe I would be more worried about looking good if I didn't feel like employees seem to generally trust me anyway.

Super fun work honestly. That said I made 5 employees cry this week. Sometimes if feels like helping people up with the one hand and landing blows on other people with the other. In the end I'm a company guy. The company provides the jobs. If people won't do what is required or appropriate my job is also to help them leave.