Article: Friday 19 December
Innovators often hope that one breakthrough will set the stage for many more. Yet new research reveals the opposite can happen. In some cases, an exceptionally successful idea can actually make it harder for the next one to be implemented. That surprising pattern that’s central to the study comes from Prof. Dirk Deichmann from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). His paper, Not all success is created equal: The innovation costs of extreme success published recently in Research Policy. Co-researchers are Dr Hung Dao, Dr Selina Lehmann and Prof. Oguz Acar.
The researchers analysed four years of data from a company’s internal idea platform, studying 1,145 ideas submitted by 236 employees who regularly contribute suggestions. These ‘serial ideators’ are vital for keeping such platforms alive and for driving innovation. The team found that only extreme successes – unusually high praise or unusually high rewards – disrupt the creative process. Ordinary success was not associated with any significant changes in behaviour or outcomes.
“We found that a major success does not lead to more success but actually reduces the chances for a next idea to get implemented”, Deichmann explains. Extreme successes turned out to be rare, but their impact was strong. After an employee received an unusually large reward, the likelihood that their next idea would be implemented fell by about 42 per cent.
The study shows two reasons why an extraordinary win can unexpectedly stall someone’s creative momentum.
First, after a big success the likelihood that innovators would collaborate with others on their next idea dropped by about 16 per cent. “After a huge win, they went solo on their next idea,” says Deichmann. “They lost the innovation benefits of collaboration.” Collaboration normally improves the quality of ideas, but extreme success seems to make people withdraw and rely more on themselves, which reduces the chances their idea will be put into practice.
And then, extreme success changes how people see themselves. As Deichmann notes: “Creative energy shifted from developing ideas to maintaining their star image.”
The academic article shows that after an extraordinary reward, employees used more language linked to high status and authority. This increase in self-perceived status made them more cautious and less willing to take creative risks, which again weakened the quality of their next idea.
To test whether it’s extreme success that causes these changes, the researchers also ran a control experiment. Participants who received an extreme success scenario were significantly less willing to join a team and rated their own status much higher than those who experienced ordinary success or failure. These experimental results mirrored the field data and provided stronger evidence that extreme success directly alters behaviour and self-perception.
For business leaders, the findings raise important questions about how idea platforms and innovation challenges are designed. Many organisations assume that big prizes motivate people, but this research suggests the opposite can happen. Extremely high rewards may encourage participation in the short term but can harm creativity in the long run. “Rather than maximizing rewards to encourage participation, organisations should consider moderate and balanced reward structures,” says Deichmann.
The research offers some practical recommendations for organisations.
Extremely high rewards can inflate status and discourage collaboration. A more moderate reward structure keeps motivation steady without inviting the negative effects of extreme success.
Large differences between normal and exceptional rewards can create a psychological shock. Narrower ranges help stabilise behaviour and avoid unintended consequences.
Recognising teamwork, co-creation and collaboration encourages employees to continue working together, even after a big win. This helps maintain idea quality over time.
If an organisation wants to keep large rewards, managers can limit the downsides by giving process-focused feedback, pairing star performers with teams, and ensuring they remain connected to diverse perspectives.
The study helps explain why sustaining creativity over time is difficult. Serial ideators are vital for organisational growth, yet they are also vulnerable to the unintended effects of success. By distinguishing ordinary achievements from exceptional ones, the research offers a clearer understanding of why some idea platforms lose momentum just after celebrating their brightest stars. When Deichmann and his team shared the findings on LinkedIn, a commenter summed it up perfectly: “Nothing dims the light of innovation faster than the glare of one’s own success.”
School of Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Liverpool
Corporate Innovation & Startup Collaboration
King's College London
Read the published research in the journal Research Policy: Not all success is created equal: The innovation costs of extreme success.
Science Communication and Media Officer
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers.
