What to do when your ideas are used by others and you're not recognized?

[A930Rocket]

My wife mentioned today that several of her ideas/projects (she always comes up with new ones with most being implemented) were used at work (a hospital), but she was not recognized. It pissed her off, but she doesn't want to come across as sour grapes. What would you do when your not recognized or your idea is claimed by someone else?

I don't have the specifics, but here's the gist of them.

In an in-house newsletter, they showed the finished project she came up with with a picture of the CNO and the artist (who is a nurse she found to do some art work). It took nine months to go from idea to completion.

Next was a project to organize the supply rooms. She organized all the supplies in the supply rooms by type, etc. and color coded all with pictures to make finding them quick and easy.

Lastly, she came up with an idea to number/inventory the stretchers. She told someone about it and he did it as well. He won a $500 award for "his" idea.

[Noah930]

My wife and I have also had ideas that were put into action but we were never recognized. However, there was no monetary gain (or anything else at stake), so we didn't particularly care. We were just glad things got done "better." I guess have your wife put down her good ideas in writing (i.e. memo) to her superiors. Email them. Then the proof is there for eternity.

[sc_rufctr]

I think your wife should write a letter to her boss outlining what has happened.
It's wrong and her boss should do something about it.

[nostatic]

Having an idea isn't enough. Doing what it takes to move it to the next step is what matters.

They say "success has many fathers." I've had projects that took off and suddenly a number of people were the ones that came up with the concept and did the work. A "collaborator" even called in the lawyers at one point. People get weird when money/credit is at stake. It annoyed me but at some point you say, "whatever" and move onto the next thing. In the end my focus should always be on the end user and the quality of their experience rather than any clowns that are involved in the process.

[A930Rocket]

I should clarify that she acts on her ideas, from conception to the final project. She's just not getting the credit, but does have emails to back her up. There is no incentive other than making things better.

Others including higher ups take the credit, including her boss.

She's not looking for glory or financial gain, just recognition and a thank you is all that's needed.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I should clarify that she acts on her ideas, from conception to the final project. She's just not getting the credit, but does have emails to back her up. There is no incentive other than making things better.

Others including higher ups take the credit, including her boss.

She's not looking for glory or financial gain, just recognition and a thank you is all that's needed.

Then she needs to have a sit down conversation with her boss. I know that may be hard to do but I can't see any other way.

[szyzygy]

Mail a letter to yourself with the idea inside. Open in court if needed.
Get copyright protection.

When I was 10, I designed a GI Joe Jeep toy that I sent to Hasbro. They sent me a rejection letter. I cried.

Then next year, they released a toy based on my idea. I got $0. Learned my lesson.

[john70t]

szyzygy: I've heard the letter strategy is not legal proof of such.
The USPTO used to accept a "journal" instead, but this seems backwards to the first idea.
The laws have changed recently, so research this.

A930Rocket: You're wife has got it together and is making positive changes.

That situation sucks. People will always stoop to new lows to justify themselves. Gaining recognition is quite justified, but could potentially open up an in-house "can of worms". Those same people will become vicious in protecting what they "stole".

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by john70t

....

That situation sucks. People will always stoop to new lows to justify themselves. Gaining recognition is quite justified, but could potentially open up an in-house "can of worms". Those same people will become vicious in protecting what they "stole".

That's true but these things are never easy to deal with. I recently had one of my team members make such a claim and in the end HR got involved. I've never liked HR and true to form they made a real mess of this one. In the end I awarded him an "indervidual recognition" for his efforts and it worked because he threatened to leave if things weren't put right. He got a $150 gift card for an idea that has saved my company over $8,000!

[szyzygy]

Originally Posted by john70t

szyzygy: I've heard the letter strategy is not legal proof of such.
The USPTO used to accept a "journal" instead, but this seems backwards to the first idea.
The laws have changed recently, so research this.

A930Rocket: You're wife has got it together and is making positive changes.

That situation sucks. People will always stoop to new lows to justify themselves. Gaining recognition is quite justified, but could potentially open up an in-house "can of worms". Those same people will become vicious in protecting what they "stole".

Yeah, I heard that back in High School. Not surprising to me now that it's BS

Hire a patent lawyer or study their stuff online and do it yourself. Look at how much money the pharma companies make. Disgusting.

[pavulon]

Hospitals are full of people willing to stand on a head to look taller. Most of these are adminstrators or (worse yet) admin wannabe's. If she wants credit for her ideas, she needs to apply for a job that gives her a voice. Otherwise, there will be plenty of people willing to use her and her ideas to their advantage...I'd not want a hospital admin. job and would be content with just making things better. I'd imagine people around her know the real deal.

[flatbutt]

If there's no documentation then it's "he said/she said".

[john70t]

A simple letter to a executive a few levels up might be enough.
State the facts/history with relevant theory, and ask nothing.

[klm2500hd]

Your ideas are used by others and you're not recognized.

That should be my job title, I'll see if I can get that put on my next batch of business cards. Really not much you can do but leave and hope it's better at the next company.

[Scuba Steve]

Ugh... I had a boss like that. He took credit for work that everyone else did, and in no uncertain way (I came up with this, I implemented that...). Long story short, I left. The guy was a self-serving douche with no regard for what anyone assigned to him did. I hope that the people involved here are nowhere near that bad, because from what I hear 5 years later it doesn't seem to be a problem that self-corrects.

[cstreit]

Two thoughts:

1. Approach her boss. Not with a hostile attitude but looking for guidance. "Mr/Mrs xyz. I've had several ideas that were used a if they were someone elses. Am I not presenting them properly? How can I ensure that I get credit for my ideas and hard work" This will call it to the boss's attention without seeming negative and full of conflict.

2. Document. Best way... Send an email to her boss. That way if it DOES happen again, she can confidently say "This was my idea. Here is the email and date. I expect that I will be getting the credit for this, don't you agree?"

[zotman72]

This is a common life experience and how you deal with it defines you. Preventing it from happening again in the future is perhaps all you really can do about intellectual piracy.

FWIW, my Masters research was ripped off by Clive Cussler in his novel Treasure (Dirk and Al were pretty smart dudes). It hurt at the time but pain went away over time. YMMV

[Zeke]

This is better than someone doing a poor job and putting your name on it. I've had that happen and it makes one want to kill.

I'm like an elephant and I live with a points system. Do me wrong and sooner or later I will have my retribution. As soon as I tack some points on someone, I look at them each and every time with just one thing in mind.

[Hugh R]

Originally Posted by szyzygy

When I was 10, I designed a GI Joe Jeep toy that I sent to Hasbro. They sent me a rejection letter. I cried.

Then next year, they released a toy based on my idea. I got $0. Learned my lesson.

This is why anybody who works for a studio is prohibited from looking at or accepting scripts, they have to be submitted through proper channels.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Having an idea isn't enough. Doing what it takes to move it to the next step is what matters.

They say "success has many fathers." I've had projects that took off and suddenly a number of people were the ones that came up with the concept and did the work. A "collaborator" even called in the lawyers at one point. People get weird when money/credit is at stake. It annoyed me but at some point you say, "whatever" and move onto the next thing. In the end my focus should always be on the end user and the quality of their experience rather than any clowns that are involved in the process.

Bingo.
I've met many folks over the years who can dream up anything, but only a few who can actually make it happen.

I've been working on a business structural deal with a major supplier for about 4 years.
Getting everyone on board and actually making it happen has been extremely tedious, even though we stand to save a guaranteed $1.7 million over the first 5 years and more after.
We've finally signed the papers and it's starting to be implemented and people lined up to take credit for it.
Fortunately I had archived my presentations, my capital improvement request to the leadership team, etc.
Too much documentation for anyone to ignore.

If I had just dreamed it up and shared it with others and watched them run with it, it wouldn't really be mine anymore, it would be there's.