My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

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  1

  LWeller2

  04/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  The discussion would be different if an idea went nowhere.
  
  But in this discussion someone deemed the idea of value to the individual who originated it. They deemed it of such value that they stole credit for it. The value lies in potential monetary compensation, perceived value of the employee and idea to the company, management potential, etc. I personally think it highly unwise to allow anyone to get away with taking your idea any more than you would allow someone to steal your car. You don't need to make it political, simply talk about your idea as your idea (even if the thief has already claimed credit) and let the thief negotiate the politics.
  
  Personal history - I was in a meeting when someone claimed credit for one of my ideas. When I later spoke, I simply stated how I came up with the idea as though the thief had never spoken. It made some people uncomfortable (so what), the thief the most uncomfortable. He was mute after that and never did try to steal it back.
  
  Stand your ground or be the doormat. Your choice.

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  2

  PersonnelAdmin

  04/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  If the person taking credit for your idea is your boss, you are kind of out of luck as you would have to go over his/her head to correct the impression and then would look like a whiner. If you're not the Big Boss your job description includes making your boss look good. In almost every other case, I don't believe it's good for me or my organization to allow someone else to take credit for something I did. We're evaluated on initiative and it's important to me that I get credit for every one of my accomplishments. This holds true especially if the person stealing the credit is doing it because he or she is a slacker - and why else would someone want to steal the credit for an idea he or she couldn't come up with?

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  3

  MurphyMalone

  04/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  LWeller2: Awesome story. That is the perfect response for many situations. Sometimes the stark choice between ground-standing and doormat is thrust upon one.

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  craiglleech

  07/01/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  I don't know who that freckles curly-haired geek is, but I would never allow my "idea" (which is patentable, today) to be credited to a co-worker.
  
  Being happy as a team-member is both socialist and will keep you from moving into the leadership position you deserve.
  
  Tell you boss whose creativity spawned the latest profit, shout it from the rooftops, but for heaven's sake, to NOT let some con-artist profit from the labors of your imagination.
  
  My 2c,

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  5

  craiglleech

  07/01/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  edits
  (Here's my idea! Let us edit our posts!)
  freckes=freckled
  you boss=your boss

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  samuel.mullen@...

  07/10/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  In my case, it was my boss that took my ideas up the line and claimed them as her own to senior management. She did this with other team members also; whatever seemed to get her noticed by management. In my mind, she was both dishonest and full of greed. She eventually created an environment where team members couldn't trust her and morale in the group diminished. What made it worse was that senior management never really got to know how talented our people were. Due to mismanagement, the team was disbanded and found success in other companies, but as fate would have it, the thief was retained to do more damage to others...and the company. I don't buy their products anymore.

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  7

  rosemm

  07/10/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  I had a boss that did that once. I left for greener pastures. Now the current pasture is filled with the same chaff, just different players. It's a part of life similar to the bully on the playground.

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  Ms_Carole

  10/16/09 | Report as spam

  RE: My Coworker Takes Credit for My Ideas |Dodging Landmines

  I may be repeating what others have said. But letting someone steal credit for your ideas is the first step to handing them your opportunities for promotions, raises, recognition, etc. It's just not fair to let them do that. However you still have to be professional so you don't hurt your reputation in the process. I used to let things like that slide all the time. Just be the good employee and keep working hard. Maybe the boss will notice. Not even! A family member handed me this link to help me deal with the situation:
  (http://www.hardworkingslacker.com/landing_page/default2.asp
  It was definitely worth it. When this happened to me, it made me feel petty to care so much that it was happening. Then I thought if I bring it up, then it just makes it appear that I only care about appearances (catch 22). The book really helped me keep things in perspective.