Organizations claim they want the same thing their customers want—creative, innovative, breakthrough
new products and services. The reality? Inside most organizations managers are conditioned to focus on
what is feasible instead of what might be possible. The difference? Feasible means something that can be
accomplished easily or conveniently. What might be possible means there is hard work to be done with an
uncertain outcome.
But how is it that you are to blame? New research by Jennifer Mueller (University of San Diego), Jeff
Lowenstein (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and Jennifer Deal (Center for Creative Leadership)
suggests that it’s the manager’s fault. And, as a manger you might be getting caught in the feasibility trap.
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