From Mark H. McCormack, Never Wrestle With A Pig:
[S]ome cynical types argue that bosses exist in large part to steal their subordinates' best ideas. That's one reason bosses are bosses. They have the ability to sit in a meeting, listen to a dozen or more concepts, and pick out the two or three that are brilliant and kill the rest. It's no different in nay other form of larceny. The best "thieves" have a keen eye for the most valuable merchandise; they don't waste time on stuff that won't return top dollar.
Ideally, you should be tossing ideas at your boss for the express purpose of having them stolen. It's part of the care and feeding of bosses. If you're not feeding your boss at least a dozen good ideas a year, you're not taking care of your boss – and you're certainly not taking care of your career.
One caveat: It's crucial that your boss remembers that these ideas came from you. What begins as your idea becomes our idea and often ends up my idea. If you can stop this revisionist thinking at our idea, you will usually be rewarded for your efforts.
