It’s hard to go it alone, and large teams often discourage unorthodox innovations.
February 08, 2024
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The story of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, the winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries underpinning the mRNA vaccines against Covid-19, holds lessons for others who are pursuing radical ideas. Drawing on their interview with Karikó and those of others with Weissman and her, the authors extrapolate lessons on why pairs can be more effective in pursuing seemingly wild ideas and how to find someone to take the journey with you.
Imagine you have an unorthodox idea — one that challenges the dominant assumptions in your organization and industry. How do you develop it? Moving forward alone is hard. On the other hand, you are unlikely to attract or be provided with a large team to pursue an idea that most see as crazy. Our research suggests that such radical thinkers thrive in a unique organizational setting by finding one other individual to work with — by operating in pairs.
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Paola Bellis is assistant professor of organizational behavior and leadership and innovation at Politecnico di Milano.
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New!
HBR Learning
Innovation and Creativity Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Innovation and Creativity. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Unlock your team’s curiosity and willingness to take smart risks.
