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Most of us need to work for various reasons, not the least of which is to be able to provide food, clothing, and shelter for us and our families. Unfortunately, although we need to work to provide material goods and for other reasons - such as camaraderie and the need to feel productive - unpleasant events and people can taint our experiences at work. The real test is how to not only deal with the challenge, via your response, but to actually benefit from it.

Many bosses would never think of stealing ideas or not giving credit where credit is due. However, when a person does work for the type of boss who frankly, feels the need to be a bully in that way, one may not have a choice at the moment but to continue working for the idea-stealing boss. As a subordinate, it can be dangerous to complain, but other ways of dealing with the situation might make it better.

Understanding your job function and doing it well can be good insurance. If a boss needs to steal ideas, they probably are not very adept in the functioning of their area. Playing games and stooping to their level can work in the short run, but may result in a fight and ultimately your last order - leave the premises and don't come back. The workplace runs on ideas, so discussing ideas and brainstorming with the people you work with might alert colleagues and other supervisors that your boss doesn't have all of the new ideas. Teamwork is more and more touted in the workplace these days, so saving ideas for a public meeting might be beneficial. Also, many companies have formal channels for presenting new ideas. Follow company guidelines, of course, but use other channels besides an idea-stealing boss if possible to submit a new idea.

Shutting off the flow of ideas is probably a mistake. It may hamper you in your own job function, and anger the boss. If you accept that idea-stealing by a superior is a form of bullying, just find a way to make everything more public. The boss will be exposed to more risk if more critical actions are done publicly.

Also, perhaps counterintuitively, turning the tables and asking your boss for ideas may be beneficial. Perhaps the boss has some kind of anxiety or personal problems that contribute to your angst (I say this not to excuse the behavior, but to perhaps explain it). A person behaving badly at work may turn their behavior around if they are treated professionally and with respect. This can be very tricky for a subordinate to do with a supervisor, but it's worth a shot.

Successfully dealing with a boss who steals ideas will usually involve some kind of creativity, support from other people (particularly coworkers), and dedication to the work or company despite the boss who steals the ideas. Companies realize that people will change jobs many times over their careers, so bosses who steal ideas may ultimately be much more at risk in their places of work than the people from whom they steal the ideas.

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