People who take all the credit at work...

[FlamesAddiction]

I assume that most people deal with or have dealt with this issue in the past. How do you deal with it?

I work with someone who has been doing this a lot lately. She is new, but came in with a lot of experience and leap frogged me. Same level, but at a higher benchmark. That part doesn't bother me as her background justifies it. We are partnered up on a few projects and she is generally nice, besides this irritating issue.

But at least 3 times now, my boss has come to me and told me about these "great ideas" my new co-worker has regarding some of our projects, and they are all 100% straight from my mind. I wouldn't mind if she said; "we came up with this", and shared the credit, but yesterday I witnessed her flat out claim something that was mine. I created a tracking spreadsheet from scratch to help track some projects and do some quick calculations. I forwarded it to her to use and she then used it and forwarded the information in that format to the boss. Our boss then forwarded it to me telling me how sharp my co-worker was and that I should use it too. I read the email chain and my co-worker flat out took the praise for it and never mentioned that it was mine.

I ended up telling my boss that it was my system to begin with and then unloaded a little bit with the other ideas that were mine. I felt a little embarassed as I showed that I was a little upset. Was it petty to unload like that? It feels awkward around the office now because of it.

[DuffMan]

Is she hot?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Is she hot?

Average.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I assume that most people deal with or have dealt with this issue in the past. How do you deal with it?

I work with someone who has been doing this a lot lately. She is new, but came in with a lot of experience and leap frogged me. Same level, but at a higher benchmark. That part doesn't bother me as her background justifies it. We are partnered up on a few projects and she is generally nice, besides this irritating issue.

But at least 3 times now, my boss has come to me and told me about these "great ideas" my new co-worker has regarding some of our projects, and they are all 100% straight from my mind. I wouldn't mind if she said; "we came up with this", and shared the credit, but yesterday I witnessed her flat out claim something that was mine. I created a tracking spreadsheet from scratch to help track some projects and do some quick calculations. I forwarded it to her to use and she then used it and forwarded the information in that format to the boss. Our boss then forwarded it to me telling me how sharp my co-worker was and that I should use it too. I read the email chain and my co-worker flat out took the praise for it and never mentioned that it was mine.

I ended up telling my boss that it was my system to begin with and then unloaded a little bit with the other ideas that were mine. I felt a little embarassed as I showed that I was a little upset. Was it petty to unload like that? It feels awkward around the office now because of it.

As long as you didn't go too far you did the right thing imo. Now at least the bug is in his ear and he will think twice. Let your own work do the talking now

[EverfresH15]

Put it in her butt and tell her that was your idea.

[Hockeyguy15]

Put "prepared by (your name)" in the footer of your work...I doubt she would notice or catch on.

[WilderPegasus]

Start giving her really bad ideas.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Put some exlax in her coffee before an important meeting.

[Bigtime]

Open up the telescoping portion of her chair at work and put a bunch of uncooked shrimp in it.

[burn_this_city]

I would have done the same thing, if an idea was not well received I'm sure she would quickly point out that it was yours.

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I assume that most people deal with or have dealt with this issue in the past. How do you deal with it?

I work with someone who has been doing this a lot lately. She is new, but came in with a lot of experience and leap frogged me. Same level, but at a higher benchmark. That part doesn't bother me as her background justifies it. We are partnered up on a few projects and she is generally nice, besides this irritating issue.

But at least 3 times now, my boss has come to me and told me about these "great ideas" my new co-worker has regarding some of our projects, and they are all 100% straight from my mind. I wouldn't mind if she said; "we came up with this", and shared the credit, but yesterday I witnessed her flat out claim something that was mine. I created a tracking spreadsheet from scratch to help track some projects and do some quick calculations. I forwarded it to her to use and she then used it and forwarded the information in that format to the boss. Our boss then forwarded it to me telling me how sharp my co-worker was and that I should use it too. I read the email chain and my co-worker flat out took the praise for it and never mentioned that it was mine.

I ended up telling my boss that it was my system to begin with and then unloaded a little bit with the other ideas that were mine. I felt a little embarassed as I showed that I was a little upset. Was it petty to unload like that? It feels awkward around the office now because of it.

I would've told my boss it was my system as well. Something nonchalant that made it seem like it was just a misunderstanding and that you didn't read the email chain.

Someone else taking credit for your ideas is pretty low. In reality, you have to look out for yourself first but you also don't want to create tension in the office. It's a sliippery slope.

[rd_aaron]

How did your boss react after you told him they were your ideas?

[Halfcreek]

You did not go too far - however it may have gone more smoothly if you had addressed the issue with her first. You know, give her the chance to set it right, buy clarifying to the boss that the spreadsheet came from you, things like that.
But either way, you needed to address it and you did. Good on ya.

[Raekwon]

Its the people in life that sit back and say nothing that get taken advantage of. You did the right thing.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Open up the telescoping portion of her chair at work and put a bunch of uncooked shrimp in it.

Frozen shrimp works the best as it gives you more lead time before the decomposition begins.

[CubicleGeek]

Hey guys! So what do you think about this thread I started? Great idea, hey?

[V]

I would've replied with a "haha, you mean this spreadsheet?" and make sure it had older dates and was obviously there before your co-worker started.

I wish I could say that it never works out for people that take all the credit, but it just isn't true, unfortunately.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

But at least 3 times now, my boss has come to me and told me about these "great ideas" my new co-worker has regarding some of our projects, and they are all 100% straight from my mind. I wouldn't mind if she said; "we came up with this", and shared the credit, but yesterday I witnessed her flat out claim something that was mine. I created a tracking spreadsheet from scratch to help track some projects and do some quick calculations. I forwarded it to her to use and she then used it....

So stop sending her stuff?

I had this problem a few years ago, so instead of raising a stink I started making up buzz words and the like that were basically nonsense. My coworker started using them and made himself look stupid in the process.

Originally Posted by EverfresH15

Put it in her butt and tell her that was her idea.

Fixed.

[Jason14h]

Don't share your good ideas. Keep them bottled up and secret!

[_Q_]

I had this exact same problem when I first started in the corporate world 4 years ago. The difference is, the one taking credit for my work was my best friend. It pissed me right off. My boss thought it was a good idea to get us to work together on stuff since we were such good friends. After a little bit of my friend stealing my ideas, I didn't cause a stink, I just asked my boss to separate us because "working with your friend can be unproductive." After that we both moved on to different projects and things settled down a bit. Now I assume he just steals someone else's ideas, because in all honestly, he's doing really well for himself, but he's not a very bright guy.