What do you do when the credit and praise for your idea or creation is given to someother?

These truths reveal themselves over time.
The best bet is just to keep doing what you do well.
Sour grapes will only undermine your future efforts.

It wouldn’t hurt to keep records that can verify your claims. Something as simple as an email to someone can be the proof that you came up with something.

I don’t know under what circumstances you’d bring up said “proof email,” but it could ease your ego to know you have it if you need it.

Lots of people have great “ideas” but it’s owning the activation of the idea that gets the praise.

I plot an elaborate and insidious revenge scenario in my mins and then go get drunk and set their house on fire.

OMG! I was seriously just typing up a question about the same thing but decided to just “let it go” one more time. How strange!

I think it is bullshit! I want credit. I Give credit readily to someone who deserves it, whether it be a family member, friend, or a coworker, and I want the same for me. At work, I am not sure what you do if your boss is not giving you the credit you deserve. I guess in some circumstances you can cc the person above him/her on progress, but that can backfire, depends on the person at the top.

Among my own family I would stand right up and call them out. If it was involving my husband’s family I would probably be super-pissed and complain to my husband and girlfriends, but that is because his family would never see it my way. They would just think I am a hysterical crazy person for getting so wound up.

Yeah, but doesn’t that diminish it by having to call someone out.

@Garebo Are you talking to me? I think if someone is doing it to you all of the time, they need to know they can’t get away with it. If it happens once, maybe the person truly did not realize they were overlooking you, an innocent mistake.

My last supervisor and a coworker both did that sort of thing. My theory is fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Thus, I became proactive in protecting my work by making sure the boss of bosses got a copy before or contemporaneously with them. Thus, he knew very well where the credit was due. Once they discovered they couldn’t fool him they left me and my work alone.

Of course, that didn’t stop them from trying it on others, which is why eventually one was fired and the other was moved into a distant office where he couldn’t steal ideas any longer.

@Darwin I love that happy ending :).

Mostly I tell myself that, in the long run, it doesn’t matter who gets credit for what. If it helps humanity, that’s what counts. Of course, it helps to have a rather low sense of self-esteem to carry off an attitude like this.

Anyway, I’ve hardly ever gotten praise for anything I did at work, so why should I start expecting any now? My immediate boss has some idea what I do. And the people I serve have some idea. But no one higher up has a clue. It really doesn’t matter, though. As long as it’s interesting. I’ll do it for free. Like fluther. We all do it for free here. I think that some things that people say are really quite valuable to others. That’s what counts, right?

@daloon: I concur.

@JLeslie: yeah, i was. Maybe, I just don’t get it. I feel if you can’t get credit when credit is due you shouldn’t have to coerce someone into giving it to you.

Unfortunately, the competitive nature of human beings plus the sheer innate laziness of some people leads to the necessity of learning how to CYA.

@Garebo what should you do, just live with it? Getting no acknowledgment for the work you do, or the ideas you have? I have to say I have rarely run into this. Most managers I have had have been happy to give credit where it is do, and in my family as well. The only thing I really identify with from the original question is being passed over by my inlaws on a matter I could help them with because it is in my line of work; either not asking my opinion in the first place or them rejecting my thoughts on a matter 9I could tell you stories). But, they do it to everyone, not much I can do with that though.

@JLeslie: that’s why ask, obviously I have not been as effective as I like. Your point about your manager is similar to my situation, I called him my boss out, then and only then did he sheepishly acknowledged it was my idea and knew I was offended. It was just awkward to have to call him out on it and it did not feel satisfying. I just wish credit would be given when credit it is due. I have always felt I have done that, at least no on has said otherwise Your right about the in law thing that is way to pervasive for my wife. It affects her, it affects me; my brother, which is the closest family member I have. So, I expect for him to dis my advise because I am the little brother, but it still pisses me off. But he is the closest I can come to talking to my Dad. I know he will never come on this site, thank….

@Garebo So now has it continued to be awkward with your boss? I wish I had perfect advice, I don’t think I do. If I felt like I was in a situation where a boss continually didn’t acknowlede my work, I would leave after a while. But, I am not advising that, I’m just sayin’.

Someone once recommended to me the book “The Secret Handshake” I think that is what it is called. I have never read it, but they were implying that it helps you learn how to play the corporate game and get ahead. I don’t know if it will help you with something like this or not, but might be worth a read anyway.

It is a dog eat dog world. The modern thinking is to make each person fight for what they create and contribute rather than recognize and reward which as seen as “too easy”.

Thanks, I will check the book out. My boss is not the issue, I Iike my position with the company and it would not take a great effort to get his job. I take that back, the VP who hired him would fight tooth and nail to save him because he hired him. I am sure I could get it if I really wanted to, but it is really not worth the money and I am not keen in corporate backstabbing.
I thought I might hear some copyright or patent infringement stories.

I rejoice at that person’s good fortune, and pray that it may continue in the future.

that really is probably the healthiest way to look at it, and ultimately, yield the most unintended rewards.