How to Deal with Copycats

Last week you shared your idea; today, they share and own it as if it’s theirs—no credit, attribution, or Trackback.??

So what do you do? Maybe nothing. Maybe something. Depends on the scope and size of the idea. This isn't legal advice; this is strategy.?

1. Manage your emotion. Feel your feelings. Process how this feels. Seek help from a therapist, mentor, or coach. When this happened to me recently, I felt betrayal and rage because it wasn't anonymous. I know the woman who stole my content and used my emails, LinkedIn posts, and website content as hers. Yeah, I was pissed. Then I realized, which is the next tip that…
2. They can steal your yesterday. You are creating your tomorrow. They can try to keep up. I am going to tell you to get used to it. They can steal my yesterday. I will be creating my tomorrow. They can steal but can't execute the way you can because they are not you. They would need to have your brain, experiences, and expertise. You probably can still proceed with your idea.?
3. Have an awkward conversation. If a co-worker steals your idea, you can deal with it directly by asking them about how they got to that recommendation, or if it’s super blatant, ask them, “How can we ensure that you receive proper attribution, credit, participation, and collaboration as the project proceeds?”?

• If you are a freelancer, it may be a little bit harder as, depending on your contract, the work may not technically be yours (think of it as buy-out rights; the person who paid for it owns the work, so while it still sucks, it’s not your fight anymore). You can bring the situation to the company or person that hired you.
• Either way, approach the topic with civility, even if you want to put them on blast. Ask for attribution or credit, or ask them to take it down; stay neutral. Most people won't respond to anger. Only you know if you have to bring in management or legal counsel.?

4. Don’t mistake your competition for a copycat. What’s the difference? Sometimes your competition will outsmart you. A copycat follows. The competition can fuel you to think faster, act more intelligently, and challenge your ideas on the fly. It makes you smarter, fiercer, and more successful. Competition good. Copycat bad.

There's a Picasso quote about how 'good artists copy great artists steal.' He means that a great artist selectively takes (steals) elements from multiple sources and then creatively combines their influences to create something uniquely their own. Austin Kleon also writes about this in his book Steal Like an Artist. Be inspired by others. Weave their ideas in your own experiences. Blend. Kneed. Mix. Use them as your fuel for what’s next.?

But keep your integrity intact, and don't copy or plagiarize. Need help processing your experiences while creating what’s next? Let’s chat. Sign up for a free consultation HERE