Thursday, November 16, 2006
What to do when boss steals your ideas?
16th November 2006 - Economic Times
It is the hottest idea doing the rounds in your office corridors. The board is deliberating on it. The top boss is quite excited about it. But guess what; that was your brilliant idea but it’s your boss who is being congratulated. He is taking all the credit that you deserved.
That’s a situation many corporate executives are experiencing in their work lives today. Seasoned bosses with their rich experience have traditionally had an edge at workplace over their subordinates, who are relatively younger and not as experienced.
But in a global world where old rules are being challenged and freshness of ideas is getting high attention, relatively younger executives and subordinates increasingly find themselves competing with their bosses. This will always be sensitive issue and requires a great deal of sensitivity and maturity. Here’s our tips to navigate such complex situations.
Simply Ignore:
Simply ignore it if it’s a one-off incident. It just isn’t worth the hassle and complications it might create.
Tactical posturing:
In a meeting when you realise that your boss is taking full credit of your idea, it might help if you expand the idea more (pepper it with statements like, ‘and when I first suggested this to boss’, or ‘I agree with my boss in fact my original idea of ..... was actually not the right one and,’) after he has finished talking. This will at least indirectly suggest where the idea came from.
Smartly spread the word:
Very casually exchange conversations with someone at the same level as your boss and let the person know the kind of efforts you put into a particular project, which later was appreciated by everyone. This will help when the big bosses sit together for deliberations as not just your boss but many others would also know a little bit about you and your work.
Market yourself a little:
Talk about your project and take suggestions form your co-workers and seniors so that they know what you are doing and will realise when someone else takes credit for it.
Direct Dialogue:
This may be one of the last things you would want to do but if you think you have run out of patience with repeated hijacking of ideas from your boss, then it might help to talk to your boss directly and tell him what bothers you and also that its demotivating not to get appreciated for the good work done. Direct confrontation may push him to mend his ways.
Approach Super Boss:
This has to be absolutely the last option for you, as it could backfire. Do not sound complaining, but present enough anecdotal evidence to build your case. As they say, you inherit your bosses and you should quickly learn to either work with your boss, around your boss or walk to the door!
It is the hottest idea doing the rounds in your office corridors. The board is deliberating on it. The top boss is quite excited about it. But guess what; that was your brilliant idea but it’s your boss who is being congratulated. He is taking all the credit that you deserved.
That’s a situation many corporate executives are experiencing in their work lives today. Seasoned bosses with their rich experience have traditionally had an edge at workplace over their subordinates, who are relatively younger and not as experienced.
But in a global world where old rules are being challenged and freshness of ideas is getting high attention, relatively younger executives and subordinates increasingly find themselves competing with their bosses. This will always be sensitive issue and requires a great deal of sensitivity and maturity. Here’s our tips to navigate such complex situations.
Simply Ignore:
Simply ignore it if it’s a one-off incident. It just isn’t worth the hassle and complications it might create.
Tactical posturing:
In a meeting when you realise that your boss is taking full credit of your idea, it might help if you expand the idea more (pepper it with statements like, ‘and when I first suggested this to boss’, or ‘I agree with my boss in fact my original idea of ..... was actually not the right one and,’) after he has finished talking. This will at least indirectly suggest where the idea came from.
Smartly spread the word:
Very casually exchange conversations with someone at the same level as your boss and let the person know the kind of efforts you put into a particular project, which later was appreciated by everyone. This will help when the big bosses sit together for deliberations as not just your boss but many others would also know a little bit about you and your work.
Market yourself a little:
Talk about your project and take suggestions form your co-workers and seniors so that they know what you are doing and will realise when someone else takes credit for it.
Direct Dialogue:
This may be one of the last things you would want to do but if you think you have run out of patience with repeated hijacking of ideas from your boss, then it might help to talk to your boss directly and tell him what bothers you and also that its demotivating not to get appreciated for the good work done. Direct confrontation may push him to mend his ways.
Approach Super Boss:
This has to be absolutely the last option for you, as it could backfire. Do not sound complaining, but present enough anecdotal evidence to build your case. As they say, you inherit your bosses and you should quickly learn to either work with your boss, around your boss or walk to the door!
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