I think this is a very important point. I do agree there is a trade off between innovation and optimization; between creating the future, and doing things that ensure you can survive to be around for that future (i.e. not throwing away your main business lines that bring in the majority of the cash flow for that company).

I do think, however, that one of the main reasons why large businesses grow their teams is because of the demand of their products today. Which in turn means that the majority of those people are doing work aimed at dealing with the current days problem, as opposed to looking to whether or not this problem is meaningful 5 years down the road. Which would mean that the trade off isn’t between innovation and optimization but rather a daily decision on the part of individuals to look around corners and say do I only do something that adds value today (which is what my performance is being measured on) do I spend more time after finishing my work (at home or at the office) where I think about problems that may exist in the future. Company culture would be very important in this example because often those that are new to companies are able to see areas they think are either more efficient or new ways of doing things.

This would mean that innovation is reserved for those companies who see the necessity to give team members space to meet the current needs of the market, and innovate at the same time. And develop nuanced ways of measuring the search for what solutions bring long term impact so those with the insights stay with the company long enough to implement them.

Interested to hear everyone’s thoughts on this!