The proverbial guy who steals the show at the end of the project 8

[Plasmech]

Anybody deal with this one...

You're the head guy on a project. Maybe the only guy. You're busting your butt getting drawings done, stuff spec'd out, parts ordered, in on time, fabricated, basically everything that the machine is well...it "is" becauuse you exist and for no other reason. You get the thing up and running. Beta site customer shows up to take a look at it, he loves it. Oh wait...what's this, is it a bird...a plane, a ufo? No, it's the proverbial guy who shows up after all the real work is done to steal the show. He's not necessarily a sales/marketing guy. he might just be someone that's been there a long time. Firneds with the owner. Whatever. He might not even be an engineer. But now it's beta site time, the fun stuff (more fun that drawings all day long anyway). Now show stealer is well, seemingly running the show. He's sending out status emails, reporting to the owner. You get mad, really mad. So mad you don't want to be there anymore. But...what do you do?

Anyone experience this type of thing?

(In the interest of not being sexist, one may replace the word "guy" with "gal" in this post if he/she choses)


-Plasmech

Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry

 

[btrueblood]

B%tch about it. Ask the boss why you couldn't have gone.

Won't get you anywhere, but it may make you feel better watching him squirm.

I had one boss who made sure we got rewarded -- he set it up so that our crew got "spot bonuses" every time we hit a shipment date (the contract was set up so that we got a bonus payment for being a month ahead of schedule, and a penalty for being a month late), and then followed through with it. After the 4th spot bonus, the upper management added language to the spot bonus program that disallowed "repeat performances" or some such language. That boss took early retirement shortly afterwards, some of the rest of us left shortly after too...and those who were left behind got to hold the bag when some of the iffier bits went ka-blooey.

 

[casseopeia]

Consider asking this person, without making accusations about his prior actions or motives, if he could give an acknowledgment commending the efforts of the people in the trenches doing all the work. Name others if there is a team. Also mention how much it would mean to you.

This will let him know that you are aware of the credit-stealing while gaining what you want (recognition) and not burning a bridge or straining a work relationship.

Personally I’ve never really been bothered by it in any job I’ve ever had. It comes with the territory. I don’t let my job define me as a person. I’m the same whether I am in a position of power, or a grunt. I've been both.

It bothers me in dance, though. But I can quit a dance troupe without worrying about how to pay next month’s rent, or whether I can get a position in another dance troupe, or be permanently branded a diva.



"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[oldfieldguy]

ivymike--

You'll get to Heaven first...

This whole "who gets the credit" thing is a sore point. I've worked for some people who'd go to extra lengths to acknowledge the people who made things happen, and I've worked for others who'd climb over your still-smoking carcass to take credit for bravely commanding the effort from inside their air-conditioned offices.

I like the first kind better, and I try hard to make sure that I emulate that characteristic.

I guess that's the best you can hope to do further down the road: be the kind of boss you wish YOU'D had...

old field guy

 

[Plasmech]

Lot of good responses here! Looks like this is something that engineers come across quite often.

-Plasmech

Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry

 

[KENAT]

It's something that happens in any group activity, not just work and certainly not just Engineering.

There are people who try to take credit for more than their fair share.

Typically they are the same people who generally brown nose etc.

Brown Noseing Glory Hogs sadly have a habit of making it disturbingly far in management.

From the other side of then fence, I've been in situations where someone has a basic idea but I then do all the work to make it actually work in practice. In these situations I sometimes find it hard to make sure I've given the person who had the idea adequate credit while keeping at least some glory for myself;-).

I had one like this just an hour or so ago. Someone had an idea that in its self wouldn't work but made me think of a development that would. In an email I sent I made it clear he had an idea, his idea wouldn't work but a development of it might. I'm hoping I struck the right balance.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[IRstuff]

Sure, but they're everywhere, so no point in losing sleep over it. The best you can do is to try and short-circuit the SOB the next time he pops up, by issuing your own status reports, etc.

My funny story:

This guy, from a former company, interviews at my company, describing to me how he personally worked on saving that company's flagship product. WTF!!! I worked on that product for the 4 years we struggled to get it out the door, and NEVER ONCE did I ever see him, or even heard about him, relative to the product. Luckily, my boss ALSO worked in the same previous company, and already had a low opinion of the guy.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[jmw]

Way back in my past I worked with a company that made flow meters. A project required dismantling a bought in register assembly (think of those plastic number registers in water meters), sticking on a magnet to one of the number rollers, and re-assembling the register.
Projet engineering came back to me and advised that it would take about 5-10 minutes to put the assembly back together which made a huge difference to the cost.
I took a bunch of registers home with me and took them apart and rebuilt them. It took me about 20 minutes. Too many fiddly parts and only two hands.
I made up a jig. Basically a block of wood with some headless nails and a groove to hold the frame and then hold all the parts in the right place until the shafts could be put back.
Time to assemble? 20-30seconds.
Took it back and showed it to the project engineers expecting them to go ahead and produce a jig for production to use. A week or two later i wnt down to manufacturing and asked how they were getting on. "Oh, the engineers produced a new jig that does the trick just fine." They showed it to me, it was my wood block with a part number added to it.
I just smiled at that one.
(Nice of them not to get upset about my trespassing on their territory.)



JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[Zogzog]

Confront him, go in his office, close the door, lean over his desk and "explain" the situation, ask him what contributions he made to the project that garners him taking the credit for its success.

If he dosnet respond well to that, kick his ---.

 

[KiwiMace]

This is where Engineers should should copy the entertainment industry:

I am in favour of seeing mandatory rolling credits assigned to every article of engineering that a person might use in their day to day life. At the completion of using a particular engineered product, one would be forced to endure a minute or so of rolling credits; name, project role, and have the list sorted by billable hours executed on the project.

Cross a bridge - read the credits.
Unload the washing machine - read the credits.
Flip of the bedside lamp at night - read the credits.

OK, so that might be a little tedious at first, but haven't we all come to expect to see Spielberg and Panavision roll up our screens.

PS. No animals were harmed in the engineering of this post.

 

[ivymike]

hey, then I might finally get all the cash and hot chicks they promised when i signed up for engineering!

 

[TheBlacksmith]

Just how it is, at least in the US. Two things to add -

"Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan"


Grant me the wisdom to change the things I can,

The serenity to accept those things I cannot change, and

The wisdom to hide the bodies of the SOBS I had to kill

 

[Plasmech]

Perhaps part of the problem, if there really is a problem...OK let's say "part of the major annoyance", is that if we all throw our hands up and say "that's just the way it is", then in fact that's just the way it will always be...

-Plasmech

Mechanical Engineer, Plastics Industry

 

[ivymike]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319142358.htm

 

[casseopeia]

I am certainly not suggesting you throw up your hands and give up. My suggestion is to look at what your true goal is. From your OP, I am guessing that you want recognition. When someone stepped in and took credit for your work without acknowledging your contribution, you got all butt-sore.

Don’t fall back into behaviors that developed in childhood. Leaving the company over this one episode is the equivalent of taking your toys and going home. Running to HR (higher power solves conflict) is the “Mommy, Billy hit me.” solution.

Retaliation (aggression) will not get you recognition nor will refusing to work on (passive / aggressive) any more projects where show-stealer is involved.

The first step is to own up to your feelings, which is anger and hurt. Next, decide what it is that you are after. Get back at the show-stealer, and create a long-running tiff between you two, or find a way to work with this individual and get recognition. I think it is better to try and work within the established framework first. Communicate your sentiments to the show-stealer.

“Hey, I noticed that you did all the presentation to the Client without mentioning me and my contribution.”

“This made me feel angry and hurt.”

“I’d really like to feel valued and a bit of recognition would go a long way to that end.”

“On future projects, could I do part of the presentation?”

Maybe this doesn’t quite fit your scenario, but I hope it gives you a workable example.


"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[csd72]

Maybe get these guys to explain to the client how it works? Hopefully they will hang themselves.

Or

While you are designing these things make sure you send your own 'status reports' to the client and the upper management leaving no room for misunderstandings.

 

[Gymmeh]

pdf everything with your name one it, so they cant just change the name

 

[KENAT]

"Perhaps part of the problem, if there really is a problem...OK let's say "part of the major annoyance", is that if we all throw our hands up and say "that's just the way it is", then in fact that's just the way it will always be...

I feel that about a lot of things Plasmech. However, it comes back to:

Grant me the wisdom to change the things I can,

The serenity to accept those things I cannot change, and

The wisdom to hide the bodies of the SOBS I had to kill know the difference.

As blacksmith put it.

Most people feel we can't change this much as it's a fundamental human flaw. Even if you do change one offender, I'm sure another one will turn up eventually.

You could try talking to him but I have to say I'm skeptical that it would achieve much. (No offense Cass, you generally give very good advice, but if someone used the approach you gave at most places I've worked they'd get laughed at, potentially leading to complete humiliation).

You can try and make sure the relevant management know it was actually you that did it. You can try and make it more difficult for the guy to steel the credit but trying to completely stop this other guy from trying to take the credit will be very difficult.

Now if you're willing to be sneaky, dastardly, underhanded...

Then I have some ideas;-).


KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[Gymmeh]

You could always just talk to your local mofia rep....

 

[livingston]

The only thing to do at this point imho is to prepare for the next project. Send out regular updates and copy those who 'need to know'. This does not include the credit-stealing, backstabbing $%#@!*& that you had to deal with this time. Please excuse my language;-)

 

[lowedogg]

If he is not technically sound, you could leave some booby traps for him to wrangle with, akin to btrueblood forgetting to reset the kill switch. These tactics will require your managers to be competent enough to notice his ignorance, but no so smart as to discover your plot.

Keep your boss in the loop with frequent updates. Keep the show stealer out of the loop with old or inaccurate information.

You could also stump him with some tough questions during the demonstration/presentation, just be careful not to appear as a jerk.

Again, if he is technically weak, explain the machine's operation incorrectly to him during development and then correct his explanation when he is stealing the show. This will only work once unless he is really stupid, so you have to make it count. Tell him "it's all about the flux capacitor" or something like that.

You have to be very careful when using these tactics that you do not embarrass your company in front of the client or make your department look bad in front of upper management. You have to keep it internal or else you are stooping to his level.