You’re in the weekly pitch meeting, brainstorming with your boss and peers about the best ways to build buzz for your client's latest offering. It’s almost your turn to talk, and you can’t wait to put forth your idea. Without warning, your co-worker weighs in with his take on the topic—the same one you shared with him at lunch last week.
According to a survey by OfficeTeam, more than one in four (29 percent) of employees interviewed said that a coworker has taken credit for their ideas, and more than half (51 percent) of them revealed that they did nothing in response.
As for why the idea theft happens in the first place? Debra Yergen, author of Creating Job Security Resource Guide, says that the problem is fostered by a sense of insecurity in the job market.
“I think this type of behavior is fairly prevalent today. Employees who once were more secure in their jobs and their own qualifications feel a certain sense of desperation that makes them consider doing things they might not have done before,” Yergen says.
Let's face it, creativity is the stock and trade of agencies. The pressure to come up with new thinking, out-of-the-box solutions and innovative ideas can be daunting. While avoiding conflict with co-workers who borrow your ideas (and don't give you proper credit) may be a short-term strategy for getting along, it's a long-term guarantee of poor personal positioning and the path to a stalled creative career.
Regardless of whether you find yourself on the receiving end of intentional or accidental idea theft, knowing how to respond is a critical skill in managing your personal brand in the agency environment. I interviewed a few experts on the topic and here’s what they had to say.
Assume the Best
Ben Dattner, Ph.D., author of The Blame Game: How the Hidden Rules of Credit and Blame Determine Our Success or Failure, says that while idea theft does occur, it’s usually not intentional.
“Don’t rush to a conclusion,” Dattner says. “We all need to be aware of our tendency to take more credit than we deserve for ideas that are really part of a collective effort. It’s very easy to view this as an ethical issue, when it’s often a perceptual one.”
Even if you’re sure your creative idea was borrowed, Dattner suggests taking a positive stance. “Rather than accusing the other person of stealing your idea, which can hurt your personal brand in the long run, emphasize that you believe they may have made a simple oversight or honest mistake and forgot to mention your contribution,” he says.
Keep Track of Your Ideas
Although most incidences of idea theft can be dealt with by a simple discussion, Donna Flagg, author of Surviving Dreaded Conversations, says that pushback or resistance from the other person, or a pattern of taking credit for others’ ideas, requires a different approach.
“If the other person does not agree with you, remembers it differently, or takes credit for your ideas on more than one occasion, you need to be able to present them with evidence of the idea having originated with you,” Flagg says.
To prepare for this, take notes when you discuss a new idea with a co-worker. In addition, send an email summarizing the discussion to both your co-worker and your boss, and jot down how you came up with the marketing, social media, PR or other creative idea in the first place. This gives you the records to have a conversation based on who said what, rather than relying on false memories. It also announces to others that you take your personal brand seriously enough to establish boundaries around your ideas and enforce them.
Report Up
If all else fails and you find yourself embroiled in a clear case of idea theft with no other way out, bringing the situation to the attention of your supervisor may be the best course of action.
“There is a small segment of people who, even when confronted with evidence of having taken another’s idea, will refuse to correct the situation,” says Vivian Scott, author of Conflict
“Tell your boss that you would like advice on how to handle a certain situation with a co-worker, and then present the facts of the problem, rather than attack the person’s character,” Scott says.
Flagg adds that before you take that final step, give your co-worker one last chance to make things right by saying, “As we discussed, I’m uncomfortable that I was not recognized for my contribution to that idea. We can go together to our boss and fix it, or you can take care of it. If you are not willing to participate in setting the record straight, I am going to share it with her myself.”
Whatever path ultimately produces the result, Dattner says the potential cost of not handling idea theft is greater than any discomfort you may face in dealing with the situation.
“When people are afraid their ideas will be stolen, they keep them under lock and key,” Dattner says. “This creates a dynamic where staff stop sharing their ideas, so eventually they stop having them.”
Say It With Style
What do you do when a colleague clips your idea without giving you credit? Handle it privately, calmly and swiftly by saying:
- “I’m really glad the idea you presented is getting a good response. Going forward, please let people know we created it together.”
- “In the future, I'd like any ideas we discuss to be presented together. As far as this instance goes, I'd like you to let our manager know that this was my idea. You can do that on your own by (set a date), we can do it together, or I can do it on my own. Which would you prefer?”
- “You may not remember, but, just to jog your memory, the origin of that idea started with a discussion we had, and no one knows I’m responsible for it. You are getting all the credit. Please rectify that.”
By having the courage to confront idea theft, the integrity of your personal brand can be maintained and trust is ultimately expanded because you can be part of a team that builds on each other’s ideas, rather than takes credit for them.
