Episode 12: Avoiding the Polaroid pitfall: a culture of healthy dissent
Published on 24 December 2024 • Hosted by Dr Lisa Colledge
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The balance between cultural fit and cognitive inclusion
What makes an organization successful in times of both stability and change? In the latest episode of Culture by Neurodesign, we dive into this question by looking at lessons from tech startups in Silicon Valley, and from Polaroid.
James Baron’s study of Silicon Valley startups revealed a paradox: startups that prioritized cultural fit succeeded in launching, but struggled to grow. Similarly, Polaroid—a company built on outstanding innovation—failed to maintain its leadership when faced with the digital revolution.
What went wrong? A lack of cognitive diversity with an inability to embrace dissenting perspectives.
The takeaway:
To thrive in changing environments, as well as in times of stability, organizations must design cultures that value different thinking styles and encourage the curiosity and dissent that naturally emerge and result in shared problem-solving.
This is a cognitively inclusive culture. It isn’t about individual brilliance—it’s about collective genius and resillience regardless of the competitive climate you are in.
Whether you’re in a startup or a legacy company, fostering cognitive inclusion will help you adapt and grow, no matter what the world has in store for you.
Read more about the research on problem solving here: Need to adapt? Secrets of the best team problem solving.
