Dealing with co-workers who steal your ideas

[PlumPrincess]

I recently talked with various people who had experienced that a co-worker or a project partner presented their ideas/suggestions as their own. I thought about it and wasn't really able to come up with a good reaction for such a situation. I think the type who does that is often someone who is often already a little bit more popular with the boss, because they're such smooth-talkers, in the case of one co-worker, it's like that, and in the case with another co-worker, the guy was also a smooth-talker, but hadn't managed to slime his way into his boss's heart yet.

 

In the case of the first co-worker, I told her that she should talk with the teamleader and let him know what the guy did and focus her criticizim on him being a bad teamplayer instead of emphasizing that he had taken advantage of her work.

 

I'm still not sure if that is enough. I'm considering that the best reaction might actually be an aggressive one and to call him out very clearly that he is misrepresenting something. And I don't mean, getting upset, but it's more about giving people a very clear and unemotional command to stop bullsh*tting. For example, sending an email to the guy and CC her boss:

 

Dear XX,

 

I've heard you presented my idea to our boss. I do believe it's a great idea to help with the project. But next time you do intend to present ideas of mine to our boss, please inform me beforehand about that. I do assume that this was just a mistake and that you just forgot to point out that this was my idea, but I expect to be more careful about that in the future and to clearly separate between your ideas and mine. I appreciate your effort. Thanks in advance.

 

Best regard,

YY

 

what do you think? What's a good way to set things straight without looking like a troublemaker or someone who is too picky? What's a good reaction?

[GG3]

Hmmmm that's a tough one. Do they have to share their ideas with the co-worker in the first place? Explain more.

[darkmoon]

you have no proof

[PlumPrincess]

Hmmmm that's a tough one. Do they have to share their ideas with the co-worker in the first place? Explain more.

It would be quite hard to maintain a normal work environment without talking about these things. I guess, it's not like a research lab where you could say, "Oh, sorry, I can't tell you yet."

 

It's also not ideas, but work. Like one of my co-workers said that her other co-worker would always talk about "their" work, while in fact she was the one who did everything.

[PlumPrincess]

you have no proof

What proof? That someone misrepresented someone else's work as their own? Well, that's part of the problem.

[darkmoon]

What proof? That someone misrepresented someone else's work as their own? Well, that's part of the problem.

 

sign all your work, photocopy it dated, and then proceed to use it if you need to, which I think you might, it is just your word against his otherwise, and he might say so, he sounds confident

 

how come he sees your work?

 

do not email him, he is not your friend, no need, unless you have an idea of what he will say back to you and so on

[GG3]

One idea...email the team leader your ideas first before discussing with co-workers and or send a weekly report detailing the work you do each week and your ideas?

 

Don't tell the other person you are doing it and if they try to claim your ideas they will unknowingly shoot themselves in the foot?

 

You called it "ideas" in your initial question btw.

[PlumPrincess]

One idea...email the team leader your ideas first before discussing with co-workers and or send a weekly report detailing the work you do each week and your ideas?

 

Don't tell the other person you are doing it and if they try to claim your ideas they will unknowingly shoot themselves in the foot?

 

You called it "ideas" in your initial question btw.

I do not have the problem, it's people I know at work. With one co-worker it was her work and with the other it was her idea. It's not exactly the same, but in the end it is a product of your efforts that someone else claimed as his own.

[TaraMaiden]

I had this problem at a technological company I worked at.

I'd scribe my ideas in a diary, and send myself an email.

I did this actually, as a matter of habit.

Then, one day, I discussed an idea I'd had about improving communications round the building, with my supervisor.

 

He agreed it would be a great idea, and that he'd put it to our Area Manager.

 

I heard no more.

 

Cut to an Area meeting a couple of weeks later.

 

Area Manager chairs meeting.

Final points raised:

 

"Ryan came to me with a brilliant idea he's had on how we can improve communications round the company.

It's a great suggestion, so Ryan wins this month's award for the proposal...."

 

(A gift voucher for a great department store, to the value of £25.00.)

 

I take Area manager aside at the end of the meeting. Ryan had not been present, due to a sales call and prior agreed engagement.

 

I ask him:

 

"So, when did Ryan mention this 'great idea' to you?"

 

"A few days ago....I think last Thursday. Why?"

 

"....And he told you it was his idea, did he?"

 

"Well, he didn't say it was anyone else's...so yeah, he seemed quite pleased he'd come up with it. You know different, do you?"

 

I open diary to around two weeks previously.

"Talk with Ryan re: idea for communications improvements round company. Table possible idea at meeting."

 

I then go to company PC, bring up my email box and show him the more detailed 'note to self' I sent at around the same time.

 

Long story short?

I got the voucher.

Ryan got the bollocking.