According to Phys.org, a new study from the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School reveals that innovators’ persistence depends critically on the support they receive from colleagues when facing obstacles. The research, led by assistant professor Luke N. Hedden and published in Organization Science, identified three distinct types of “interpersonal holding” that either help innovators push through setbacks or cause them to abandon their efforts entirely. The study closely monitored innovators at a hospital system in the northeastern United States, finding that emotionally close colleagues provide “tight holding” with empathy, while less emotionally connected individuals offer “loose holding” focused on perseverance. Surprisingly, the research found no conclusive patterns about which organizational roles were more likely to provide effective support, suggesting that supportive colleagues can emerge from anywhere within an organization. This research provides crucial insights into why some innovation efforts succeed while others fail.
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The Hidden Cost of Innovation Resistance
What makes this research particularly compelling is how it challenges conventional wisdom about innovation management. Most organizations focus on screening ideas for potential, investing in promising concepts, and measuring outcomes. Yet this study suggests that the critical factor determining innovation success happens in the messy, emotional space between conception and implementation. When innovators face what Hedden calls “tough sledding” – the inevitable resistance that comes with disrupting established processes – their emotional response becomes the deciding factor. Organizations that fail to recognize this emotional dimension are essentially gambling with their innovation investments, regardless of how promising the initial ideas might be.
Beyond Traditional Support Systems
The concept of interpersonal holding represents a significant evolution beyond traditional notions of workplace support. Unlike formal mentorship programs or structured innovation processes, interpersonal holding emerges organically from workplace relationships and addresses the emotional toll of innovation work. This explains why formal support systems often fail to prevent innovation burnout – they typically focus on process guidance rather than emotional containment. The research from the University of Miami business school suggests that organizations need to cultivate environments where these organic support relationships can flourish, rather than relying solely on structured programs.
The Organizational Imperative
For companies serious about innovation, these findings should trigger a fundamental reassessment of how they support their creative talent. The traditional approach of providing resources and expecting results ignores the emotional reality that innovation work is inherently personal. As the original research in Organization Science demonstrates, innovators “care deeply about their work” and see it as “an important part of who they are.” This emotional investment means that setbacks aren’t just professional obstacles – they’re personal rejections. Organizations that fail to address this dimension are essentially setting their innovators up for emotional exhaustion and eventual abandonment of promising initiatives.
Practical Implications for Leaders
The most surprising finding – that effective support can come from anywhere in the organization – has profound implications for leadership development. Rather than concentrating innovation support in specific roles or departments, organizations should cultivate empathy and emotional intelligence throughout their workforce. This means training managers to recognize when innovators need emotional containment, but also empowering peers at all levels to provide both “tight” and “loose” holding as circumstances demand. The research conducted in the northeastern U.S. hospital system shows that innovation persistence isn’t just about formal structures – it’s about creating a culture where colleagues naturally step in to help each other navigate the emotional challenges of change.
The Future of Innovation Culture
Looking forward, this research suggests that the most innovative organizations will be those that explicitly recognize and reward interpersonal holding behaviors. We’re likely to see the emergence of new metrics that track not just innovation outcomes, but the quality of support systems that sustain innovators through inevitable setbacks. Companies that master this emotional dimension of innovation will develop significant competitive advantages in talent retention and innovation throughput. The organizations that thrive in the coming decades won’t just have great ideas – they’ll have the emotional infrastructure to see those ideas through the inevitable resistance that accompanies meaningful change.
