i consider myself to be a pretty reserved/quiet person but, at work the
social norm is to engage with people.....take some interest in what they have
to say. so, i've made an effort to be more talkative but, i focus on work when i talk
because tech is my passion. but while engaging, i give away ideas/thoughts and
people run with my thoughts and ideas and use it to their own benefit. how do you
balance being engaged but guard against idea theft? maybe i will never learn.

If you are in IT (your tech comment) It is a very slippery slope. It has been my experience in the industry to do more 'doing than talking'. Express your ideas to management IN WRITING to create paper trails on where these ideas originate. Nothing wrong with sharing thoughts ensure you create a paper trail for yourself.

software development to be exact. good points. lots of dynamics involved here:
1. white male upper management
2. mostly male indian managers
3. mostly indian developers

WOW, sounds like my old job (hence the OLD!) The PM was white, the govt lead was Indian and we had Indian developers. Its AMAZING how politics work. The developers got LOADS of money for their projects while we had to cut stuff. We gave new ideas to management and he (white PM) pushed them off as his own. However, trust yourself and your skills and know that they are not the only game in town if you truly dont feel comfortable.

>software development to be exact. good points. lots of
>dynamics involved here:
>1. white male upper management
>2. mostly male indian managers
>3. mostly indian developers

what are you doing now?

quick convos about news headlines, or how the homeless lady on the side of Carl's Jr showering with a water hose is wild hot.

when I don't wanna talk, I don't make eye contact

IG: amadu_me

"...Whateva, man..." (c) Redman

i'm reverting back to form.

>quick convos about news headlines, or how the homeless lady
>on the side of Carl's Jr showering with a water hose is wild
>hot.
>
>when I don't wanna talk, I don't make eye contact

I'm a programmer, but I work with PR so I sit w/ them. Mofos talking about last weekend's pork roast, their baby learning some shit or their "little knick knacks" (a dude said that).

Meanwhile, I'm an Aquarius so I've got that intense thinking shit going on. Can't be hitting folks at work with deep shit, as they wont understand and will look at me all crazy.

but, i'm a scorpio

>Meanwhile, I'm an Aquarius so I've got that intense thinking
>shit going on. Can't be hitting folks at work with deep shit,
>as they wont understand and will look at me all crazy.

thats published or i've come up with a better one so the old idea won't matter.

its not really being guarded against idea theft, i just assume nobody is interested

i mean, if you wanna not be that silent, just let people talk about themselves. You don't typically have to offer anything in a conversation.

I don't offer up any personal information unless they ask.

They ask how my kid is doing - great, he's keeping us busy of course

What did you do this weekend? not much just tried to relax

They don't need to know I'm going on trips, planning a b-day party for my kid and etc.

If the information isn't going to be life changing for them then keep your mouth shut.

even if it IS life-changing, I don't share..LOL

people gotta figure they own shit out

IG: amadu_me

"...Whateva, man..." (c) Redman

hang out in the break room like I do. I love the IT guys especially because the talk is different. Y'all have another level of thinking lol

If you write em down you may be less inclined to talk about them

I'll talk about/avoid the same topics everyone else would. Theres a time and place for everything.