Having everything is the enemy of innovation
Part 6 of 12 in Hidden truths of corporate innovation

We think innovation needs abundance: budgets, teams, resources.
But:
- When you have everything, you stop questioning.
- When you have nothing, you start inventing.
We assume innovation blooms best in abundance — but too many resources often breed complacency and waste.
When everything is available, there’s less incentive to think differently.
Here is a hidden truth:
Scarcity forces focus.
It drives people to get creative, find hidden efficiencies, and discover unexpected solutions.
Some of the greatest breakthroughs in history emerged under constraints — not because they had everything, but because they didn’t.
The most interesting wines come from soils that aren’t too fertile.
So here’s a quick question:
Where are you overfeeding a project when a little hunger could make it sharper, faster, and better?
Because sometimes, the best way to focus is to remove.
First published on LinkedIn on June 10, 2025. View the original post