This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/LongAd4250 on 2025-07-01 01:08:13+00:00.
I work at a small marketing company and there's this guy Tom (30sM) who constantly takes credit for other people's ideas. Last week he literally presented my entire campaign concept as his own in front of our boss and I was fuming but didn't say anything in the moment.
Then yesterday in our team meeting he did it again with this project I'd been working on for weeks. Something just snapped and I interrupted him and said "Actually Tom, that was my idea from the presentation I gave you last Tuesday." The whole room went silent and our boss looked super uncomfortable.
Tom got all flustered and tried to backtrack saying we had collaborated on it but I was so angry I kept going and basically called him out for always doing this. Now everyone is acting weird around me and my manager wants to talk to me tomorrow about "professional communication."
My work friend says I should have handled it privately but honestly I'm sick of being walked over. Tom has been getting promotions while I do the actual work. But now I'm worried I looked unprofessional and maybe ruined my chances for advancement. My boyfriend thinks I finally stood up for myself but my sister says I probably just made myself look petty and vindictive.
I don't regret calling him out but maybe the way I did it was wrong? I just couldn't sit there and watch him steal my work again. Now I'm scared I'm going to get in trouble for creating drama.
TL;DR: Called out coworker for stealing my ideas in front of everyone, now worried I ruined my professional reputation