This reminds me of a slightly related story:
I was working in my first retail job, as a young, energetic, enthusiastic 20 year old. The owners of the small, family owned store, took an extended vacation, putting me in charge in their absence. Before they left, the wife and I discussed, briefly, some projects for me to do while I was in charge. I was given specific instructions for a couple of the projects, but was given carte blanche for the others.....about 10 in all.
So, I worked like a Trojan and completed all of the projects, using my own ingenuity and ideas. I was feeling wonderfully successful and creative by the time my bosses returned.
As they oohed and ahhed over my work, they kept saying, *they* really had some good ideas and were glad they gave them to me to execute. I was stunned! They were not egotistical or tyrannical bosses, but they honesty thought they had been the creative genious behind ALL of the ideas........and I was only the laborer who carried out their ideas.
Protesting this belief they held, would have only served to make me look like sour grapes, so I kept my mouth shut. But, I soon wised up that I would always be their little lackey, however much they valued me. So, I moved on about 6 months after that, to manage my own store.
Not sure why I told this story.....it seemed to fit when I started it!
