Why Some Managers Stifle Good Ideas.

The article examines why middle managers may stifle employee innovation despite organizational priorities on creativity, focusing on the "Idea Endorser’s Dilemma." Research shows that managers risk losing status whether an employee’s idea succeeds—because the employee gains more recognition—or fails, as both parties lose status but managers lose more. This dynamic leads managers to hesitate in endorsing ideas, sometimes rejecting them to maintain relative status. To address this, the article recommends changing decision-making processes by using innovation panels and fostering knowledge-sharing platforms, as well as adjusting managerial incentives and company cultures to reduce status-related risks and encourage support for employee ideas.