to not expect a colleague to steal our credit??

[nervousal]

A group from part of organisation where I work has been working on something for a few months now which is innovative nad exciting. I've been getting people on board and working with a National group re funding etc. Someone from another department came along to the last meeting, and becasue she has a bit more spare time than me, agreed to set up a sub meeting to look at an event later this year involving our chairman/CEO etc. She has now gone to chairman to ask if he can go to the event, and is doing a paper for the next Board meeting describing the work. Am I being unreasonable in being p*ed that someone who hasn't been involved at all comes in at the last minute and presents this to the Chair???

I really need to get better at all this political nonsense

could you not go to someone and say that you think X (name someone on the group - not yourself or they might question your motives) might be a better choice to present as s/he has been involved since the beginning, has taken a lead on this and might be better placed to answer questions, give details, than this other person who has only just joined the project and may still have knowledge gaps?

lol, politics in the office, she is out of order, get involved, tell her you will join her in her presenration, seen as you know more and have been involved longer, or as Hecate says suggest someone else do the same.

Dont let her steal your thunder, be assertive, if that doesnt work, tie her to a chair lock her in the broom cupboard, then you step in and save the day!!

Yes, or make her a coffee an hour before the presentation and lace it with laxatives

I'd go to her and say 'Great that we've been asked to do a presentation. I am so pleased that you've managed to secure that for the team. Can we have a catch up so that I've got all the facts from your sub-committee so that I know everything that's been going on?' ie Assume that you'll be doing the presentation.

But that's probably a rubbish idea - this kind of thing happens to me all the time too

I like Hecate's idea - particularly if you choose someone junior to you, then you can offer to help them with it and gain some kudos from giving them the chance to shine.

What spicemonster said. Assuming you are leading the project, or at least that she is not, she doesn't get to choose who presents this project to the Board.

I think the telling thing in your OP is that you say she 'is doing a paper for the next Board meeting'. Who says she is?

Do you mean she went to the chairman to ask about his participation and he asked for a paper to be prepared for presentation at the next Board meeting, and she has announced to you (leading the project) that she is doing it? Assuming she isn't leading the project then it is for the person who is doing so to decide who is the most appropriate person to prepare the paper and who is the most appropriate person to present it.

She may well be the best person, and if she is, that's fine and should be acknowledged but what needs to be sorted is the relationship between you if she thinks it's ok to announce that she 'is' doing it, rather than asking if it is ok if she does it.

So to answer your question, YABU to be fed up that someone comes in and presents it if they are the right person to do so; YANBU to be fed up that she assumes she can say who does what, and that's what needs addressing. If you are leading the project then you can and should just tell her.

If you are not, and you just happen to think you would be better (or someone else would be), you need to speak to whoever is leading the project without sounding paranoid and whingy, which will not be easy, assuming this person is ok with the arrangement.