So you're at a meeting, dressed in your finest, you’re not only debonair, but you are more enthusiastic today than you’ve been in a long time. After all, you’re going to pitch the chief on an idea you’ve researched over for months. Talk about increasing profit share – the idea you’ve been holding on so firmly in your cranial lock box is certain to send shareholders to the bank. Your best workmate champions your idea and after doubtlessly being commended for being a creative visionary, you get to pass up the cubical next to the front office and head straight to your new mahogany desk, and into the corner office overlooking the lake. 
Motivated beyond conviction, you arrive at the meeting, take your seat, and wait for your turn to announce your proposal. At the end of the speech given by the speaker you’re about to follow, your best (office) mate reverentially barges in and like a ravenous person rushing to a first warm supper in months, hurries to introduce…your idea. Yep, your office mate has ‘beaten you to the deal!’ Seething with anger, your chin drops, and you feel so irritated you want to hiss flames.
Motivated beyond conviction, you arrive at the meeting, take your seat, and wait for your turn to announce your proposal. At the end of the speech given by the speaker you’re about to follow, your best (office) mate reverentially barges in and like a ravenous person rushing to a first warm supper in months, hurries to introduce…your idea. Yep, your office mate has ‘beaten you to the deal!’ Seething with anger, your chin drops, and you feel so irritated you want to hiss flames. In truth, this scenario occurs in the workplace more frequently than you might be conscious of. Experts envisage, in some cases, coworkers are so indolent and so unsure of themselves that before coming up with their own ideas, they resolve to steal the ideas of others. On September, 09, 2009, MSN ran an interesting article written by Rachel Zupek. The article titled 'When a Co-Worker Steals an Idea,' speaks of the commonality of this problem. Zupek says, “Co-workers stealing ideas in the workplace is more common than you think.”
Although the author does not present a sure fire rationality for why this occurs. When arriving at a conclusion on what spurs this type of underhanded behavior in the workplace, Zupek appears to agree with leadership development and communications consultant Charmaine McClarie. Zupek says that McClarie believes, “Colleagues take credit from others because they think they probably can get away with it.” Zupek agrees, “If one feels powerless to affect positive and necessary change, then stealing what one can't create oneself begins to look like a plausible solution.”
Has this scenario or one very similar happened to you or anyone you know? Whether it has or hasn’t, if you came across a similar scenario, how will you reciprocate? What are your introspections on stealing ideas? Is it a good idea to tell anyone about your thoughts? After-all, according to Zupek, McClaire says, "Part of planning a project should be planning who needs to know about your ideas and how they should learn about it." Zupek continues by concluding, "When a group of people know and support your ideas, no one else can come in and take credit for them." What say you? Speak to me!
