Comments on: Don’t steal my idea! http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901 Advice and Ethics at the Office Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:46:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Graphic Designer http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901&cpage=1#comment-74859 Graphic Designer Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:37:19 +0000 http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901#comment-74859 Same thing happened to me, twice yet I'm studying Graphic Design. All you can do is play along with it, go back to square one or elaborate on NEW or other existing ideas. It isn't fun, it gives you the sh*ts. But making a deal about it will crumble anything you put forward. It shows they can't think for themselves, they will probably get stuck along the way, and ask you for help or your opinion, but there isn't much you can do. Sometimes I find when I'm stuck for ideas I help others push their ideas forward, to get my thinking to move forward and past square one, then they help me elaborate on mine. It's not fun when they do it, but just let them do it, you will then see the problem areas in it and if you where to do it how to fix it, but just leave them to run with your idea. If they ask you for help, give it but don't be too helpful unless you will receive credit for it too. Same thing happened to me, twice yet I’m studying Graphic Design.
All you can do is play along with it, go back to square one or elaborate on NEW or other existing ideas.
It isn’t fun, it gives you the sh*ts. But making a deal about it will crumble anything you put forward. It shows they can’t think for themselves, they will probably get stuck along the way, and ask you for help or your opinion, but there isn’t much you can do.

Sometimes I find when I’m stuck for ideas I help others push their ideas forward, to get my thinking to move forward and past square one, then they help me elaborate on mine.
It’s not fun when they do it, but just let them do it, you will then see the problem areas in it and if you where to do it how to fix it, but just leave them to run with your idea. If they ask you for help, give it but don’t be too helpful unless you will receive credit for it too.

]]> By: meela http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901&cpage=1#comment-73088 meela Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:09:14 +0000 http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901#comment-73088 This literally just happened to me! I'm shocked! I had prepared a strategy proposal for my boss (a first time business woman). I shared my document with a team member who was working part-time as a consultant -- I wanted to get her support so we could convince my boss together of a change in direction. She completely stole my thunder and presented the crux of the argument as her own. And I might have thought this was not premeditated except she actually interrupted as I was about to present my thoughts and just stated my conclusion! Maybe I made a mistake by showing her my deck, but I can't believe someone who was not even 100% committed to the company would have much to gain from that. She had more experience than me and well-spoken. She had no need to steal my idea to promote herself. Thoughts? This literally just happened to me! I’m shocked! I had prepared a strategy proposal for my boss (a first time business woman). I shared my document with a team member who was working part-time as a consultant — I wanted to get her support so we could convince my boss together of a change in direction. She completely stole my thunder and presented the crux of the argument as her own. And I might have thought this was not premeditated except she actually interrupted as I was about to present my thoughts and just stated my conclusion! Maybe I made a mistake by showing her my deck, but I can’t believe someone who was not even 100% committed to the company would have much to gain from that. She had more experience than me and well-spoken. She had no need to steal my idea to promote herself. Thoughts?

]]> By: Rob Hooft http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901&cpage=1#comment-69658 Rob Hooft Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:07:53 +0000 http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?p=901#comment-69658 Very important issue! I have seen the effects of secrecy happen in a company where employees got rewarded (monetary) if they would successfully submit a patent. The effect was that they did not want to share their ideas with colleagues (and, see your point 5, not improve the idea), and potentially submit a suboptimal idea to the patent office. Very important issue! I have seen the effects of secrecy happen in a company where employees got rewarded (monetary) if they would successfully submit a patent. The effect was that they did not want to share their ideas with colleagues (and, see your point 5, not improve the idea), and potentially submit a suboptimal idea to the patent office.

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