Employees’ ideas are vital to innovation and growth in a knowledge-driven society. How can an organisation foster a culture that encourages collaboration if employees don’t trust sharing their ideas? Professor Lillien ellis examines arguments.
Someone at your office has had a brilliant idea that could transform everything. Then doubt creeps in. What if it’s stolen?
This is a more common concern than you might imagine. Ideas are not just fleeting thoughts in today’s knowledge economy. They are valuable assets.
Unique competitive advantages are what drives innovation, propels businesses and shapes industries.
Collaboration and feedback is essential for creators to be successful. Every time they share their creations, they expose their ideas to possible theft.
It’s not just paranoia, but a genuine concern that affects workers at all levels.
According to some research, up to four fifths of employees claim that their boss has stolen ideas from them. Nearly a third claim that a colleague has stolen an idea at least one time.
Many leaders, however, dismiss the idea that idea theft is of major concern. They want their employees to concentrate on collaboration, because ideas are plentiful and no one owns an idea.
You can also find counter-narratives to why you shouldn’t be worried about idea theft. Many employees, however, see things differently.
I often hear of stories where someone has an idea, such as a pitch or new product, but someone else steals it and takes all the credit. The original creator is then left feeling angry, frustrated and violated and less likely to ever share their ideas again.
Protection paradox
Organizations are faced with a conundrum. They need their employees to freely share ideas to encourage innovation, but they often hesitate because of fear of theft.
Will employees share their ideas if they are worried that their ideas will be stolen?
In a new study I conducted with Brian Lucas from Cornell University, we found a surprising difference between the moment creators believe their ideas are in danger and when they actually steal them.
Creators assume that thieves steal polished, fully developed concepts – ideas they can steal easily. Our findings indicate otherwise. Our findings suggest that thieves of ideas prefer to steal ideas at an early stage, when they are still developing.
What is the ethical side of stealing an idea? Can you argue that “borrowing” early-stage concepts is more like inspiration than theft?
Theft that is ‘ethical’
Most creators view idea thieves in a negative light. Our research revealed that idea thieves were concerned about minimizing harm and taking the idea in an ethical manner.
The moral reasoning behind the idea thieves’ choice of early-stage concepts is revealed by our research.
The thieves feel less guilty about stealing ideas in the early stages because they can easily interpret it as “drawing on inspiration” instead of a blatantly un-ethical act. Ideas at the earlier stages are more resource-efficient than ideas that have been developed later, so they believe they’re minimizing the damage caused by stealing an idea.
Organisations should not dismiss concerns about the theft of ideas, but instead actively address them.”
Idea theft can have a greater impact on workplace relationships than financial fraud.
The damage done to trust could have grave consequences for an organisation. Creativity plays a major role in job performance, and also the value and relevance of an individual to an organisation. This is especially true in the knowledge-based economy.
The people need to be assured that their investment in creative capital will pay off. If workers do not feel that this is the case, they may leave to invest their efforts in other businesses.
Safety and security
Organisations should not dismiss concerns about the theft of ideas, but instead actively address them.
Leaders must also communicate their values. In this case, one of the key values is that employees’ contributions are valued and the company wants to recognize them.
I would encourage the development of clear cultural norms regarding creative attribution. The idea isn’t to constantly acknowledge that “it was someone else’s concept”, but to intentionally and consciously amplify the creative ideas of others and their creative contributions. It is free to acknowledge good work and great contributions.
Some people argue that ideas can’t be stolen or owned, but I disagree.
This is an interesting and rich philosophical question. But let’s keep it from distracting us from the real problem, which is people’s fear of having their ideas stolen, and how that can affect their ability to work.
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