5 Things to Do When Someone Takes Credit For Your Ideas

Are others taking credit for your ideas at work?

Unfortunately, it’s all too common.

Especially for women, minorities, or someone who doesn't embody the male, pale, and stale norm of corporate leadership. 

You'll speak up in a meeting and offer a strategic solution to a shared problem only to be unacknowledged, ignored, or worse yet, shushed. 

Then a colleague -- almost always a man -- will paraphrase your idea and get praised for it. 

This perpetuates unconscious bias in the workplace, or, as my mentor Lisa Gates once called it, a "death by a thousand paper cuts."

Next time something like this happens to you, please for the love of Jove -- do NOT stay silent.

Staying silent is becoming complicit in robbing you of the credit you're due. 

Here are five action steps you can take to address it:

1. Document everything: Keep detailed records of your ideas and decisions made during meetings. Post your notes to the shared drive or shared meeting agenda. Maintain an email trail that clearly shows your input and initiative. Documentation helps protect your work and contributions from being co-opted by others.

2. CC and BCC other leaders: If your manager or another leader often takes credit for your ideas without acknowledgment, start including other decision-makers in email conversations. This ensures that your ideas are visible to a broader audience and cannot be hidden or misattributed.

3. Speak up early and often: It’s essential to assert yourself during meetings. If someone takes credit for your ideas, interrupt them calmly but persistently. The key is to maintain your composure while making sure your ideas are rightfully attributed to you. Try one of these three sample scripts below. Or watch me demonstrate each script in this 18-second video. 

4. Build allies. Cultivate relationships with colleagues who can advocate for you, even when you’re not in the room. One effective strategy (which my client Amy used successfully) is to ask male peers to acknowledge your contributions publicly, such as in meetings or shared communication platforms like Slack. This can be especially helpful in environments where recognition can be harder to come by for women and minorities.

5. Vote with your feet. If you work in an environment where your ideas are routinely co-opted by higher-ups, you can consider “voting with your feet” and leaving. However, if the culture is not overly toxic, you can focus on building a support network, improving your visibility, and making sure your contributions are documented and acknowledged.

3 Scripts for What to Say When Someone Takes Credit for Your Ideas

1. "I'm glad you see the value of my ideas. I appreciate your vote of confidence."

2. "Thanks for spotlighting my point." (This one's from the above-mentioned HBR article by Alicia Bassuk.)

3. "Yes, as I mentioned earlier, this idea can be a game-changer. Thanks for bringing it up again."

Even if the colleague absolutely deserves to be thrown under the bus or called out publicly, sometimes the most deft, skillful move is to sidestep open conflict.

With a positive reframe and verbal redirect, you can:

• Give yourself the clear and public acknowledgment that the idea is yours

• Create an opportunity to follow up with more details or clarifications for greater impact ("Here are the three aspects of this idea that should be addressed in further detail, and I have the presentation to walk the leadership team through them...")

• Leverage the power of "yes, and" while making it hard for others to dismiss or ignore your role without attacking anyone

Here’s the thing.

Idea theft often happens to folks who are highly competent, diligent, and detail-oriented but operate from the belief that they should keep their head down and do good work.

Listen to episode 73 of my podcast Risky Conversations, to get the full download on patterns to watch out for so you can prevent idea theft.

As a recovering people-pleaser, I know the urge to avoid "rocking the boat," to stay small, and to dodge conflict -- even if it's packaged in positive-neutral language. 

The urge that leads to BIGGER regrets... more net negative results like getting passed over for the promotion and raise you deserve but don't get, because you avoided the awkwardness of giving yourself the credit you're due. 

Here's the thing to know in your brain and heart: 

Not speaking up for you is a vote for more injustice.

A vote for taking from the bank of your hard-earned value-creation and giving it to the wrong people. 

No more robbing from you. 

More giving back to you. 

In your corner, 

Jamie 

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Book your free 1:1 consultation with me today, because you're ready to unwind harmful socialization that holds you back from speaking up with confidence. 

You're ready to take the helm of the ship that is your career.

You're gonna rock that boat, because it's YOURS to drive.