ET TU Boss!

Disclaimer- This blog post is primarily a copy-paste from a LinkedIn post.

Sometimes, all the knowledge gained from reading books seems insignificant compared to the emotionally taxing real-life situations presented by life. Fortunately, there are people in our circle who make themselves available to provide rational explanations of events and help in deriving lessons from such experiences.

This blog post is dedicated to all the bosses who are striving to uphold moral standards in the mini pond called organization against the fishes-impersonating-sharks of this pond.

As Boss's Day is approaching i.e., October 16th, I reminisce about all the "good" bosses who inspired hope and all the "bad" bosses who provided a reality check in my professional journey.

The post is re-iterated as :

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A colleague of mine texted me in distress.

She:- My boss has done me the ultimate dis-service. He has played brutus to me by presenting her idea as his own.

Me:- That’s awful. I know how it feels


She :- How to deal with this? Should I call him out?

Me: No, no one will believe you, as he is much senior and crafty.



She: Should I stop presenting ideas for improving systems, services and procedures

Me: No, that would you would be harming your potential and stymying your growth as a professional



She: What should I do then

Me:- Nuture your ideas, refine them, make them incredible.then present them as your own at a forum where the world knows that they are your own - an ideathon, a town hall, a feedback corner of your intranet. Be the crouching leapord. Go for the kill but never let someone walk over you at work, even though he maybe your boss.

Well, how many of us empathize with my colleague.

I think all of us would have gone through such a situation as we slog it out on the Corporate turf, where winning is all that matters. Holding one’s own to what you stand for has always been always. Equally important is not to let someone else walk away with the fruits of your labour.

To the workhorses, who believe n working hard and happily let the others hog their limelight, I would like to strike a word of caution- Your growth, your happiness and your realizing your own potential is your business – and if you let yourself be manipulated by others on this count, you can never achieve the success which is rightfully yours.

If you think, that’s not important, just flip over. Read no further.

However, if you agree with the importance of the same, please do read on.

I would like to present some strategies to deal with a cuckoo- boss, who lays his ideas in the nest created by you:-

1. Do not share your opinions and suggestions with him – which he can pass-off as his own. Try to give him the cold shoulder and make him feel that his behaviour is resented.

2. Pay him back in his own coin – gradually, let it be known to his colleagues and superiors, what an idea poacher he is. Encourage other colleagues to come out with their stories to others regarding his idea-poaching habit.

3. Watermark your work – Let your work carry your stamp- literally and figuratively – even if it might entail extra effort – learn to zealously guard your work as your own.

4. Try to create an environment at work where such behaviors are resented to the extent that people practicing them are compelled to change such behaviors or their jobs.

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May God bless us all (especially our bosses!!)


The link to the original post is -

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/et-tu-boss-amit-kaul-hoyge?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via