The story behind my research

Working in innovation management, I am surrounded by lots of creative minds. Many of my colleagues have the talent of being able to detach themselves mentally completely from what exists and to come up with the most amazing ideas. A skill that is priceless in my working environment.

However, my job also involves tasks where creativity is not desired, but where a structured and efficient approach is required. Once the idea is born, it must be checked for feasibility, a business model must be developed and tested on the market, and finally the market launch must be systematically prepared.

It is an open secret that the colleagues who come up with the brightest ideas are not necessarily among the most structured and efficient in the subsequent project management phase. In contrast, the most creative and innovative ideas rarely come from the most experienced project managers. Such opposing talents are probably in the nature of us humans.

However, after one of my most creative colleagues experienced a burnout, I wondered what effect the simultaneous demand for creativity and efficiency has on our mental health. Does it make sense to encourage employees to turn into chameleons or can this have negative consequences in the long run? These are questions I am trying to address with my research.