Innovation is the buzzword that refuses to die.
Every organisation wants it. Most claim to prioritise it. But how many truly live it?
Despite endless strategy decks and bold mission statements, many employees experience a very different reality — where the appetite for innovation is spoken, but not shown. Where risk-taking is quietly punished. And where systems and structures seem designed to preserve the status quo, not disrupt it.
It’s no wonder that innovation fatigue is setting in.
The Innovation Rhetoric Gap
According to PwC, 61% of CEOs say innovation is a priority. Yet research by McKinsey reveals only 6% of executives are satisfied with their organisation’s innovation performance. That’s a glaring gap between ambition and execution.
Employees see it too. Research from Accenture found that 76% of leaders believed they regularly empower employees to be innovative, but only 34% of employees agreed. The result? Disillusionment, cynicism, and untapped potential.
The space between what leaders say about innovation and what employees experience day-to-day is huge. And bridging that gap is critical for any organisation hoping to thrive in today’s fast-moving world.
The Real Barriers Are Cultural
Innovation isn’t just about strategy or investment. It’s deeply cultural. And there are several subtle, often invisible forces that can quietly kill innovation before it starts:
- Loss aversion and risk psychology: Leaders fear failure more than they value experimentation.
- Mixed signals: Teams are told to think big, but rewarded for playing safe.
- Process and metric misalignment: Innovation is encouraged, but systems are designed for predictability, not disruption.
- Middle management squeeze: Stuck between visionary goals and operational targets, managers often default to business-as-usual.
- Lack of psychological safety: Without trust, there is no creativity.
These blockers are rarely intentional. But they’re powerful. And unless leaders address them head-on, innovation remains a glossy ideal — not an everyday reality.
So, what can we do about it? Join this upcoming webinar to find out
From Lip Service to Lasting Change – Making Innovation Stick
🗓 29th April | 🕞 3.30pm BST | 💻 Live Online
In this free webinar from The EX Space, we’ll be diving deep into the real reasons innovation gets stuck — and what you can do about it.
With guest speaker Cris Beswick, global expert in innovation strategy, leadership and culture, this session will unpack the human and organisational dynamics that make or break innovation efforts.
You’ll learn:
- Why innovation efforts fail to connect with employees
- How to spot and overcome invisible cultural blockers
- How to support middle managers to lead innovation, not resist it
- What psychological safety really looks like in practice
- Practical frameworks to turn innovation values into action
About Cris
Originally trained as a designer and former CEO of an award-winning design group, Cris is now a globally recognised authority on innovation strategy, leadership and culture. He works with CEOs and senior teams to embed innovation into the DNA of organisations – combining bold ideas with practical action. Cris is also co-author of the award-winning book ‘Building a Culture of Innovation’ and visiting faculty at several global business schools.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore what it really takes to build an organisation where innovation thrives — not just in principle, but in practice.
👉 Register now and join us on 29th April at 3.30pm BST.
