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Original poster

I need help he has stolen my ideas!

21 replies

LastRoloIsMine · 01/06/2020 20:49

I will try and make this factual and short along with info I think will be asked.

I am 6 months in to a new job which I love.
It's a niche role in a council.
I am 42 yo and in the past I have done many roles including managing 30 plus people but I have come in to this role at lower level despite having over 10 years experience in this field.

My team leader is 24. Nice enough and doing the teamleader role as a temp role as part of his management course. It was a 12 month secondment which is now up however lockdown has stopped normal recruitment processes.

We get on I like him and we talk a fair bit about the job and what it entails. I naively thought we were just shooting the shit.

I have found out today that some ideas I discussed with him including major project work, he has passed off to upper management as his own.

Some of the things I said were quiet specific and definitely came from me. Management have loved his ideas and in particular an analogy I used to show that something would not work. They praised him for HIS critical thinking Hmm

How do I deal with this?
I dont think calling him out will solve this or paint me in a good light but I do want management to know his ideas are mine. So how would you tackle this?

Any advice is appreciated.

OP posts:
Crickets · 01/06/2020 20:54

That's despicable. Have you spoken to them? I would and then speak to your manager.

Pavlova31 · 01/06/2020 23:10

That is awful Op Sad

Fingerbobs · 02/06/2020 08:12

I’d go to him and say ‘I’ve heard this, is it right?’ And then follow up with ‘you do know that’s not ok, don’t you? That as a team leader it’s part of your job to ensure your team get credit where it’s due?’ And then ask him what he’s going to do about it (ie what is he going to tell management and when, and maybe even help him with how he might do it), and hold him to it. He needs to learn that lesson sooner rather than later. If you get on with him you can make it more about his learning than your ego, and hopefully then you can keep relations good, he looks good to management by being a proper team leader and learning and taking responsibility, and you get the credit for when he moves on and the role becomes vacant. Might that be a possible approach?

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Deathraystare · 02/06/2020 08:16

That's how men get ahead!

It is shit.

getdownonit · 02/06/2020 08:19

I had a boss who was Universally known as CS for Credit Snatcher.
Challenge him and make senior management aware. It will be hard to prove however and will be dressed up as 'sour grapes' for having to report to him etc.
In future, do everything via email for a paper trail.

Mumoblue · 02/06/2020 08:21

Go over his head and act like he told his managers it was your idea.
Say something like "I heard you were really excited about my idea that X told you about and wonder if we could talk more about it".

Then if they say they thought it was his idea just act confused and be like: oh well I'm sure he meant to give me credit, he probably just forgot to mention it.

Dont let him do this, its shitty.

NekoShiro · 02/06/2020 08:23

Don't give him any more ideas, if its get brought up with you mention in conversation that you had being talking to what's his face about the exact same thing, you can eloborate upon your ideas, he probably can't and is just parroting what you said.

NekoShiro · 02/06/2020 08:24

Oh or just confront him directly? If he's time there is up then just message him saying 'umm excuse me but wtf' jokinonviously, but something professional and along the lines of if you want to tell my ideas to a higher up, involve me next time.

AJPTaylor · 02/06/2020 08:28

Is that really the first time it's happened to you? It's as old as time.
Seriously you could have some real fun if you could be bothered..........

PurBal · 02/06/2020 08:32

I don't think he has enough working experience to realise this is not okay. When my brother was 21 he made a "not cool" work move and was told as much. He was mortified but he learned. Remember at school where you have to write papers that support a point of view and you read a bunch of stuff and decide what you like and then use the book you found the idea in to support your argument? (Hope that makes sense). This is what he's doing, no concept of referencing the original source. He's either bad at his job (as a team leader) or ignorant. Either way it needs addressing.

Northernsoullover · 02/06/2020 08:32

If they are your ideas do you think he might struggle when it actually comes to the implementation?

Ariela · 02/06/2020 08:43

I would, when you see/speak to or can see an opportunity to bring it up with senior management say 'I'm so glad you liked my ideas on x that (my boss) has put forward. I'd love the opportunity of further input to the project ' or similar.

Any further ideas you discuss with him, sum up in an email.

Original poster
LastRoloIsMine · 02/06/2020 10:34

Wow thank you for the responses.

Somebody asked if this was the first time it happened to me and as far as I know yes it is.

I am reluctant to confront him as he has a tendency to be able to weedle his way out of things and I am not sure management would a) care or b) then view me as having sour grapes.

He will however struggle to produce the idea as it's based around a time management project which I have experience of running and he does not. He also does not have the excel knowhow to be able to do the reporting.

I have however decided that the best form of revenge is to apply for his job when it comes up.
I have no idea if I will have a shot at it but the interview with management will give me the chance to discuss my previous project work and evidence that the ideas are mine without actually accusing him of idea theft Grin

What do you think?

OP posts:
ScrapThatThen · 02/06/2020 10:57

That sounds perfect. Enjoy the interviewGrin

SoupDragon · 02/06/2020 10:58

I have however decided that the best form of revenge is to apply for his job when it comes up.
I have no idea if I will have a shot at it but the interview with management will give me the chance to discuss my previous project work and evidence that the ideas are mine without actually accusing him of idea theft

Perfect!

getdownonit · 02/06/2020 11:43

I would also pad your ideas out on a date stamped document so it's clear that you had the full padded out version ahead of any proposal he tries to put forward.

Are you expecting his job to become available?

secretrugbyfan · 02/06/2020 11:53

Watch Working Girl and then plan your revenge carefully!!

HollowTalk · 02/06/2020 11:55

I would definitely confront him in writing and cc his line manager. It's outrageous that he should try to pass your ideas off as his own.

Original poster
LastRoloIsMine · 02/06/2020 12:42

Working girl! Loved that movie Grin

Yes his job is due up and he needs to reapply for it but lockdown as paused the recruitment process.

OP posts:
JudgeRindersMinder · 02/06/2020 12:44

@Mumoblue

Go over his head and act like he told his managers it was your idea. Say something like "I heard you were really excited about my idea that X told you about and wonder if we could talk more about it".

Then if they say they thought it was his idea just act confused and be like: oh well I'm sure he meant to give me credit, he probably just forgot to mention it.

Dont let him do this, its shitty.

Just do exactly this! It doesn’t come across as petty and makes the point succinctly
BrassicaBabe · 02/06/2020 13:10

Another vote for what Mumoblue said

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