We've all had that experience where we work really hard on something and instead of getting recognized for our contribution, we have to sit there and choke back bile when someone else takes credit for the work. It's infuriating to think about how hard you worked and how much effort you put into a project only to see some other glory-hound or charlatan pass all that effort off as their own.
Heck, I got a taste of that this week. I saw a bunch of traffic coming to my blog from Dr. Shailesh Thaker's blog (UPDATE: security software now indicates his blog is a virus attack site - DO NOT GO THERE). At first I was psyched. Here was a self-proclaimed "Management Thinker, HR Guru, and Corporate Coach" telling his fans my content was good.
Then I saw it. It was my blog post on shutting your cake hole. The ONLY thing that was different was the author. Apparently that article was now written by Dr. Thaker himself. Hmmm. I wonder if Thaker rhymes with faker.
That's right folks. Blatant plagiarism. Here's my original post and here's his post (UPDATE: he finally removed all posts however his site is now showing up as an "attack site" in my antivirus so I've disabled links to him). Unfortunately he wasn't bright enough to disable the hyperlink back to my blog and that's how I found the content. It turns out he ripped off several of my articles, a few from SmartBrief on Leadership, some from Kevin Eikenberry and others.
So what can you do when you're in this situation? What do you do when someone else passes your work off as their own? How do you handle it when someone else takes credit for work you did? Here are a few thoughts:
Seek Clarification
It could be an accident. You might be wrong in thinking someone is taking credit for your work. They might have sung your praises before you walked in the room to find them presenting your deck. They may have written a nice email giving you full credit but all you heard was "I received this presentation from (NOT YOU) and it's great." Clarify first. Just ask. If you are wrong and the person gave you credit, thank them politely for promoting your work.
Request (Nicely) a Correction
If it's clear they did pass of your work as theirs or they took credit for your idea, ask them (in private) if they could clarify to others that it was actually your work. You might say "I'm glad you liked my work but after your presentation some people are under a mistaken impression that you did the work. I would appreciate it if you could clarify to them that the work was mine." More often than not they'll heed that request.
If it's your content that has been stolen/plagiarized, send an email or make a call asking the person to remove it and to never do it again. Give them a clear timeline for action and show them a reference back to your original work. They might be unaware that the work was stolen (maybe someone on their team did it - see the point above on clarification).
Demand a Correction
If the person decides not to satisfy your request for a correction, demand one. You could petition the person's supervisor to rectify things (the boss might be unaware that someone is taking credit for your work). Let the person know you're upset that they took credit and that they've violated some pretty clear societal standards on giving credit and taking credit. In some cases (like plagiarism) you might even have your attorney send a demand notice requesting redress.
Go Nuclear or Get Over It
If all the above strategies fail, you have two choices. You can go for the nuclear option and file a formal complaint at work (with your boss, HR, etc.) or sue (e.g., for plagiarism) or carry out a public campaign to call out the fraud. Or you can vent about it, make your case, then shut up and move on with life. Events like this can be total energy-sucks. You can choose instead to focus your efforts on being productive and moving forward knowing that the universe will take care of the Thakers... I mean fakers of the world.
And by the way, if you're dumb enough to steal content from a blogger, disable the hyperlinks so you can't be tracked as easily. And if I can ask a favor folks - if you like this blog and this post, please retweet it, share it, send it around. Maybe if he sees his name up in lights enough on Google searches as a plagiarist, he'll remove my article (he hasn't yet responded to my "ask nicely" or my demand of removal...
What will be really ironic is if this post gets picked up and republished on some "Management Thinker's" or "HR Guru's" blog...
- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC
- Get the latest updates on my upcoming book One Piece of Paper - CLICK HERE
Monday, May 2, 2011
How to Handle When Someone Else Takes Credit for Your Work
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19 comments:
I have had my own words presented back to me as someone else's in a seminar I attended -- what a hoot! Especially because the first time she heard me, she disagreed with my statement. Now it seems to agree with her I guess ...
Good advice. In my younger days (as in, yesterday, and maybe tomorrow still) I would have skipped straight to #4. I'm sorry that this happened to you, but you have to believe that talent and ingenuity will be recognized in the end. Good luck.
It's hard to do those early points. Most I think opt to just internally simmer and remain frustrated about it (or go straight to #4 like NG said, if bold). Your suggestions remind of how you should deal with someone that offends you - go up to them privately and discuss it. Same alternatives are usually taken: stew or blow up lol.
Most of us wish we had a public forum like thus where we could expose fakers without looking petty.
I enjoy reading *your* blog by the way.
Mike:
Kinda shoots down that whole "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" theory.
Keep up the good mojo, you have a unique, straight-forward style that is recognizable from a mile away.
Maybe fate will let the two of you cross paths and you'll have the chance to say: "Hey Doc, want to hear a funny story? Oh, wait, you've probably already stole, I mean told it!"
All's well that ends well, and I'm sure you now have a bunch of new followers who emigrated from the good Dr's site.
Thank you for the good advice! I could have used it last year at this time.
My organization was going through a restructure and everyone's jobs were in limbo and so it was a no holds barred situation. I did a massive amount of research for my team on a project and my boss presented it as hers -- which would have been fine had she said "my team" or "we", but it was all "I" did this and "I" did that. The sad part was that she CC'd me on the email. I guess she thought she was putting me in my place.
However, had I read this, I might have known how to respond (aside from sending it to my colleagues who knew better and getting back about 20 "WTF?!?!"s. :sigh:
Just wondering what approach you took in your situation, because it would appear that by publishing this article it is not "Request (Nicely) a Correction". It may be a case that Dr. (really?) Thaker's post was not from your site, but from something a reader had posted on his site (note bottom reference about source). Could be a case where he simply doesn't understand the writing convention that "author" below title means you are the writer of the article. Anyway, all of his blog seems like a very suspicious way to promote himself as a management guru. Too bad for him, that eventually it all catches up with you.
Mike,
Too bad Pop isn't still with us. I know how he'd take care of this situation. Not nice, but fun to think about.
Dad
I used to have a peer forwarding an email from the client with the question and asking for the answer. I later found out, by accident, that my answer was then sent to the client, with my answer and their name. To combat this, I began providing responses that included the original sender. The behavior ceased as they realized that I knew they were taking credit for the knowledge. Point made and point taken.
Everyone, thanks for your kind words and support.
@NG - yep it's hard. That's the challenge. I just try to provide steps in an escalation process.
@Eric - glad you enjoy reading *my* blog. And I don't think it's "petty" to expose fakers. Maybe if more of us called them out, they might stop or at least pause to think before they plagiarize.
@Tim - it would be priceless to run into him at an event. Maybe I should insist on speaking before him so he can't steal (or so he can in case he wants to simply use my presentation ;) Glad you enjoy the style of writing here. Direct is good.
@Scottie - I hope you don't work for her anymore. Patience matters. Eventually she'll run out of runway and crash spectacularly. Just keep on keepin' on and you'll be fine (presuming your head doesn't explode the next time she does it if you still work for her).
@Jay - great question. I sought clarification by reading a bunch of other posts on his blog. I follow SmartBrief closely because I write for them. There were a bunch of articles copied verbatim from recent SmartBrief issues. There was no doubt the content was stolen - I needed no further clarification. As far as it being one of his "readers" posting these to his sight, that doesn't absolve him of responsibility for making sure the work isn't plagiarized. If you own the site, you own responsibility for the content.
If you're a "Doctor" I assume you know how to cite resources. No hall pass on "Author" and not knowing the convention. He's too well educated to claim that one. No dice.
As far as my approach on this one I did the following:
- Seek clarification: check. A ton of stuff was plagiarized and it was his site which he owns and is responsible for.
- Request correction/removal: check. Emails were sent. No responses were received. Tweets were sent. No responses. If I can publish something April 18th and he can steal it/re-post it on the 20th I'm assuming he's online and receiving messages.
- Demand a correction: this post plus communications via more "formal" channels are underway. This is the present stage. Hope that clarifies.
I guess the big decision ahead of me is whether to go nuclear or forget about it. I'll likely do the latter. This post enabled me to get the bile out. He's not worth my time or energy. I'd much rather devote those precious resources to more productive efforts. I just tell myself that karma is gonna kick his ass at some point.
@Anonymous with the email forwarding: awesome technique. Well played sir/ma'am! I salute you.
Hi Mike,
There must be something in the air these days as I received an email from one of my readers advising me that one of my blog pieces was being plagiarized on someone else's blog. In this case, the 'blogger' simply changed the title but left the rest of the piece intact.
Although there was no email address, his blog is being hosted on Wordpress.com so I was able to file a DMCA complaint and within a few hours, the plagiarized blog post was removed by Wordpress who also sent him a message warning him of his actions.
Unfortunately, it's not the first time this has happened, but it was the first time one of my readers brought this to my attention, which for me was the silver lining of the whole affair. After all, it's nice to have built a community where others are equally invested in not letting others take ownership for the work of others.
That's why I'll be more than happy to help spread news of this around, Mike, to help this 'expert' get the message.
@Tanveer - yep, very cool to have readers who look out for us. Sorry you had the same thing happen but very cool that Wordpress handled it that quickly. Thanks for getting the word out about Dr. Faker too. Hope you're doing well.
Great post - interesting that when I attempted to visit the "other" site, my computer blocked it as an intrusion.
While in college, a class was having a hard time with a paper so the instructor sent all of us an "example" paper - when I opened it, discovered it was actually a paper I had done for another class only now had a new author.
As Jay mentions... sooner or later, things like this will catch up to you.
What do you do when you're in a "temporary" employment situation, where the project is the company founder's "life legacy project," which is hemorrhaging hundreds of thousands of dollars, is being directed by someone who is in clearly over his head, who starts taking ideas you come up with in brain storm sessions, does nothing with them (and you begin to forget you've made them), passes them on as his own (i.e. new business model), is getting all sorts of pats on the back, and prior to introducing a new website rollout (which is also your idea and will likely save the project) informs you that your services are no longer needed?
My boss should have been fired at the end of q3 2010, but he's a master of marketing--himself.
I'm trying not to burn bridges (or go postal) because I really like the company and would hope to land in a different department, but how do you say something's yours when he hasn't put your name on anything, and claims all things as his own (and is trying to get you out of the way prior to a big new thing)?
@Pedro - honestly, that sounds like a horrible situation and likely is one that can't be fixed. That's a personality disorder from the sounds of it. I'd get as far away from that individual as you can, chalk it up to experience, and find somewhere better to work. I really don't have any better advice than that for a situation that is that toxic.
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