Have any of you had to deal with someone at work taking your idea and going to the boss higher ups with it like it’s their own? Do you just stop talking work with this person? What’s the etiquette here? Example: you have a good investment idea that will solve some problems and discuss it with your colleague, you go out of the office on the road. You check email that night to find that your colleague has already taken the idea to the higher ups and taken credit. I have no problem with someone taking initiative on that idea while I’m busy, but taking credit for thinking of it is a whole other story.
- “Thievery” 2) Every man for himself in this industry. Firms like GS might preach teamwork but at the end of the day if it means sacrificing your team member for your own success everyone does it. And if you don’t then be prepared to watch people climb over you.
While this is not unusual, you need to realize the reality of office politics, when you are working hard to progress your career someone else is also working hard to pull you down. I would be careful to engage this person again. Having said that, a colleague once did the same thing to me. I realized he had discussed it with our boss when the email came “congratulating him”. Quite shocked, I had the option of watching him taking credit or act. I replied back to the boss, copied him - and clearly stating that while I appreciate his effort to communicate my ideas and initiative, having shared with him - the proposal was still incomplete(thats why I had not communicated earlier). In addition, the details as communicated to the manager were not a full reflection of the details we discussed, but I would appreciate any ideas to improve the project. I signed off the email - “I will be forwarding my proposal later today and would at your convenience request a meeting so that we can discuss this further as it was my original idea”. After five minutes the previous email was “recalled” - and no body has ever tried to mess up with me again. I have “intellectual property rights” to my ideas and if I do not protect them no one will.
Document, document, document. You definitely need to pee on your ideas to mark them as your own.
JohnThainsLimoDriver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 1) “Thievery” > > 2) Every man for himself in this industry. Firms > like GS might preach teamwork but at the end of > the day if it means sacrificing your team member > for your own success everyone does it. And if you > don’t then be prepared to watch people climb over > you. Theevery.
JOE2010 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > While this is not unusual, you need to realize the > reality of office politics, when you are working > hard to progress your career someone else is also > working hard to pull you down. I would be careful > to engage this person again. > > Having said that, a colleague once did the same > thing to me. I realized he had discussed it with > our boss when the email came “congratulating him”. > Quite shocked, I had the option of watching him > taking credit or act. > > I replied back to the boss, copied him - and > clearly stating that while I appreciate his effort > to communicate my ideas and initiative, having > shared with him - the proposal was still > incomplete(thats why I had not communicated > earlier). In addition, the details as communicated > to the manager were not a full reflection of the > details we discussed, but I would appreciate any > ideas to improve the project. I signed off the > email - “I will be forwarding my proposal later > today and would at your convenience request a > meeting so that we can discuss this further as it > was my original idea”. > > After five minutes the previous email was > “recalled” - and no body has ever tried to mess up > with me again. I have “intellectual property > rights” to my ideas and if I do not protect them > no one will. +1. That takes some balls as is pretty impressive.
I once had an idea to invent internets…
comp_sci_kid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I once had an idea to invent internets… But that Gore fellow beat you to the punch, eh?
Michael: The Willy Wonka Golden Ticket promotional idea is probably the best idea I have ever had. It’s probably the best idea anybody has ever had. Three days ago, I slipped five pieces of gold paper into random paper shipments. This entitles the customer to ten percent off of their total order. It will be a day for them that is full of whimsy, and full of excitement and full of fantasy. David: I just want to say that this golden ticket idea is one of the most brilliant signs of initiative I have ever seen at this company and how about a big round of applause for Mr. Dwight Schrute? [everyone starts clapping] David: Alright Dwight. This is huge. Dwight: That’s what she said! [David laughs] Michael: Hey, Dwight, great idea. Dwight, Dwight, great idea. How’d you come up with that idea? Dwight: Inspiration. Michael: Really? How did-- how are you inspired? How did it pop into your head Dwight? Dwight: [same time as Michael] You never know when it’s gonna strike. Just… boom. Michael: Give me the details of how that happened. Jim: You, you are taking about Dwight Schrute. The biggest Wonka fan I know. I mean, you’ve been talking about that movie for years. Michael: What? Jim: And you know what? I even made fun of you when you dressed up as Willy Wonka to pitch this idea and for that I apologize. Dwight: Apology rejected. Pam: [going up to give Dwight a hug] Thanks for much for helping the company, Dwight. Dwight: Oh Pam. Creed: Good work, kid. Dwight: Thanks old man. David: This, this is great. OH, OK, look I want to get you on the horn with the marketing people in New York. The should meet you. Dwight: Yeah. David: Pam, could you set up a call in there in about 15 minutes, please? Pam: Sure. Michael: David? David? Dwight: [same time as Michael] 'Cause I’ve got this idea… Michael: David? David: Yeah? Michael: Could I be a part of the meeting also? David: You probably have too much to do around here. I don’t want to uh, take up your time with another meeting. Jim: Yeah, let’s face it. This meeting sounds like it’s Wonka fans only. He’s never seen the movie. [David laughs] Dwight: Alright. David: [on speakerphone] Hey guys, I have with me Dwight Schrute. Dwight, take it away. Dwight: OK guys, listen up. Here’s the deal. I love candy. Sweet sugary candy from the second it touches my tongue to the moment it’s metabolized by my stomach acids, so naturally I liked Willy Wonka. Man on phone: Wait, do you guys hear that? There’s not a dog listening in, is there? [cut to show Michael on the other line] I hear panting. David: No. No dogs. Dwight: So I love Willy Wonka. That golden ticket scene is so inspiring to me that that’s where I cam up with that idea [Michael comes into conference room]. Michael: There is no movie called Willy Wonka. It’s called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Pam: It’s actually based on a book called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dwight: Pam… Michael: I can’t… vouch for that. But I do know this. He is a liar. He has taken my idea. Dwight: That is my idea. David: [on phone] We are gonna call you back guys. [to Michael] What is going on here? Michael: OK, here’s what happened, David. It was all my idea. You called me and you were really angry at me and I got scared, so I had Dwight take the fall, but now, it turns out that it’s a great idea and Dwight will not confess. Can you believe that? David: No, no. Dwight: It is my idea. Michael: Oh how dare you. Dwight: It is my idea. I’m filled with good ideas. Thousands of good ideas.