How to deal with a manager who always wants to take your credits 2

[DNBEA]

I don't know the subject I put there clearly discribes my problem. I was just hired as a senior engineer in a firm. and another senior who was hired earlier than me is in charge. I am concentrating on the job assinged to me always but he is more concerned to make himself look better than me even most of the times he is not competent on what he is doing technically. I think the boss knows it more or less. I feel more and more oppress from him now a days. And the better job I have done the more pressure I get. In the past I usually just changed my job and expected better in a new envirnment. But I realized I am going to run into the same situation anywhere I go if I do not know how to deal with this issue. It's my technical skill that always keeps me protected. I think I need some advice for my people's skill.

 

[RDK]

You can never get away from the situation; all you can do is get in the same situation in another place.

I’d take a look at how you operate in the business/office environment. If the same thing keeps happening over and over to you then the chances are that you are part of the problem.

Get a copy of the book “The Ropes to Skip and the Ropes to Know”

http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471415715.html

It is a by far the best and most readable book on organizational behavior. It may not change things for you but it will allow you to understand how you fit into the big picture and that is the first step.



Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[DNBEA]

Thanks a lot Rick. I will get the book and read it carefully. I realized the issue becomes a major obstacle of my professional grow. And the boss actually is facing another issue which is how to keep a employee like me I think. We have been losing employees recently.
We got so many things to read. I beleive the book is definitly a treasue to me. But can anyone tells me some real experiences they have had? You are right. Maybe there is something in my charactor need to be dealt with. But what is it? I have been witnessed other good engineers like me who has the some problems. But it is hard to tell what causes it.

 

[liberoSimulation]

If I were you, I'd keep doing the best in all assignments given by boss. By this, your boss will realize the importance of you in the org. and one day he will give you the trust. Not because he wants to make you better than others but the top management who will inform him about you after sometime will try to keep you.
Just keep the good work and don't let such people frustrate you in your work because bosses are due changing their locations and you will be in better situation.

Cheers

 

[TheTick]

I have avoided this trap pretty well in my career. Partly due to luck, partly because my fingerprints are all over my work, from subtle technique and style points to blatant large signatures.

Usually it only takes a few pointed questions from a reviewer to reveal the brains behind an accomplishment. Know and do your work in depth, and a "credit thief" would be hard pressed to steal credit with credibility.

Also, give your superiors some credit for knowing what is happening. They may not acknowledge it, but they are doubtlessly aware of the situation. Either they don't see it as a problem, or they feel it serves them.

BTW Rick, that sounds like a fascinating book.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[HVAC68]

I have faced similar situations in the past, where my immediate superior always used to take credit for whatever good things I did and used to point his finger at me whenever something went wrong. Over a period of time, people and especially the big bosses could sense this and he was put in place. Of course, that was easier said than done. I had to undergo considerable amount of pressure, stress, trauma, whatever you call that. I was consciously keeping my cool throughout. Like Tick said, I also started compiling things in such a way that, anybody would be able to identify that the work is mine. Moreover, some amount of documentation, e-mails, subtle messages during casual conversation, etc., etc., kept me afloat.

Good luck

HVAC68

 

[ScottyUK]

Issue your work as .pdf's with your name , date, title, document revision, etc in the title block. Once it is a .pdf it takes a determined individual to make it his own.

I do this with anything going offsite, e.g. drawings, specs etc. It makes it much easier for everyone because almost anyone can open a .pdf file whereas files from engineering software tend to need the native application.

It doesn't stop people pinching your ideas and selling them as their own. This happened to me earlier this year and I am still spitting feathers over it. Next time I should omit some of the core details and allow the 'idea thieves' to fail. Sadly I'm too professional to do that, but the temptation is strong.


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One day my ship will come in.
But with my luck, I'll be at the airport!

 

[flamby]

1. Keep upgrading your skills and work professionally.

2. Consume all the time that is before the deadline and release it at just the deadline so that the guy gets as little time to understand your work as possible.

3. Pray that sooner or later all beans will be spilt. Keep waiting and practicing 1.

4. If not, that guy was born with some luck to be your boss. Don't stress yourself, stress is a bigger killer than a worst boss. Read Dilbert daily.

Ciao.

 

[plasgears]

This is prevalent in academia, where the principle takes credit for the analytical and experimental accomplishments of the staff. It takes a little fortitude to let it pass.

As a matter of course, I shared patent disclosures with all parties directly involved including my boss, and drafting personnel, who unified the assy into elegant packages.