You are a mechanical engineer working on developing new products for a large company. Your product-development team is composed of specialists in different fields from throughout the organization. Everyone shares ideas freely with one another, and the team as a whole shares credit for its accomplishments. At least, that is what you think so.

One day you learn that the team leader, an older gentleman who resents having to work with others, has been bad-mouthing several members of the team. Worse yet, he’s also been taking credit for their ideas.

Once, you even overheard him say, “Those guys can’t do anything without me. I’m really the brains behind the operation. That idea for the new packaging design was all mine, but I let them take credit for it.”

Although you are not the direct victim of this assault, at least on this occasion, you are concerned about the effects on your team’s morale and performance. You also fear that one day, it might be your ideas for which he is taking credit. You know this is wrong, but you don’t know how best to handle the situation.

Questions

1. What do you think would be the right thing to do? Explain the basis for your answer.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

The right thing to do in this situation would involve addressing the issue in a professional and eth... View the full answer