The Hard Truth About Innovative Cultures

Gary P. Pisano

Article | Harvard Business Review | January–February 2019

The Hard Truth About Innovative Cultures

Abstract

Innovative cultures are generally depicted as pretty fun. They’re characterized by a tolerance for failure and a willingness to experiment. They’re seen as being psychologically safe, highly collaborative, and nonhierarchical. And research suggests that these behaviors translate into better innovative performance. But despite the fact that innovative cultures are desirable, and that most leaders claim to understand what they entail, they are hard to create and sustain. That’s because the easy-to-like behaviors that get so much attention are only one side of the coin. They must be counterbalanced by some tougher and frankly less fun behaviors: an intolerance for incompetence, rigorous discipline, brutal candor, a high level of individual accountability, and strong leadership. Unless the tensions created by this paradox are carefully managed, attempts to create an innovative culture will fail.

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Innovation and Invention; Performance Expectations; Leadership;

Format: Print

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Citation:

Pisano, Gary P. "The Hard Truth About Innovative Cultures." Harvard Business Review 97, no. 1 (January–February 2019): 62–71.

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The Hard Truth About Innovative Cultures

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