Why Great Ideas Die on Managers’ Desks — and How to Save Them

Managers who recognize the importance of innovation to their organization are likely to urge employees to bring them fresh, creative ideas. Yet, many employees grouse that their best ideas are frequently overlooked, dismissed, or misunderstood by those very same managers. 

Ironically, managers themselves may be a serious impediment to innovation. Deeply rooted in their own domains of expertise, managers often struggle to recognize the value of novel ideas, particularly when such ideas lack precedents within their field.

`Herein lies the paradox: The very novelty that makes an idea valuable to an organization and likely to generate extraordinary rewards is the same quality that makes it difficult for managers to appreciate an idea. Organizations thrive on the ability to disrupt norms and embrace the unfamiliar, yet managers’ mental models often favor the predictable and familiar. How can this critical dilemma be resolved?

The authors’ research points to a powerful yet straightforward solution: Managers need to build diverse personal networks within their organizations and beyond. The link between having a diverse social network and being innovative is no secret — it’s a cornerstone of creativity research. But their findings add a twist: Diverse connections not only help employees generate more creative ideas; they are critical in allowing managers to evaluate and recognize the worth of employees’ ideas.

Frequently interacting with a broader set of people fosters openness to new perspectives and a greater appreciation of unconventional ideas.  According to the authors’ findings, by diversifying their social networks, managers can overcome their aversion to uncertainty. In gaining exposure to diverse perspectives and unfamiliar domains, and acquiring a broader understanding of their organization’s strengths, managers become more capable of identifying and valuing the potential of novel ideas.

How can these insights translate into actionable strategies that improve managers’ acceptance of novel ideas?   Expand and diversify advice networks.  Encourage employee networking.  Recognize and address bias against novelty.  Support idea endorsement through social proof.