Page 142 - HBR's 10 Must Reads 20180 - The Definitive Management Ideas of the Year from Harvard Business Review

LET YOUR WORKERS REBEL

granted when it continues to generate strong feelings. Novelty in
one’s job is more satisfying than stability.
So, how can leaders inject it into work? Bottura throws last-
minute menu changes at his team to keep excitement high. At Pal’s,
employees learn the order of their tasks for the day only when they
get to work.
Leaders can also introduce novelty by making sure that projects
include a few people who are somewhat out of their comfort zone,
or by periodically giving teams new challenges (for instance, asking
them to deliver a product faster than in the past). They can assign
employees to teams charged with designing a new work process or
piloting a new service.

Identify opportunities for personal learning and growth. Giving
people such experiences is an essential way to promote construc-
tive nonconformity, research has shown. For instance, in a field
study conducted at a global consulting firm, colleagues and I found
that when onboarding didn’t just focus on performance but also
spotlighted opportunities for learning and growth, engagement
and innovative behaviors were higher six months later. Companies
often identify growth opportunities during performance reviews,
of course, but there are many other ways to do so. Chefs at Osteria
Francescana can accompany Bottura to cooking events that expose
them to other countries, cuisines, traditions, arts, and culture—all
potential sources of inspiration for new dishes. When I worked as
a research consultant at Disney, in the summer of 2010, I learned
that members of the Imagineering R&D group were encouraged to
belong to professional societies, attend conferences, and publish
in academic and professional journals. Companies can help pay for
courses that may not strictly relate to employees’ current jobs but
would nonetheless expand their skill sets or fuel their curiosity.

Give employees responsibility and accountability. At Morning
Star, if employees need new equipment to do their work—even
something that costs thousands of dollars—they may buy it. If they
see a process that would benefit from different skills, they may hire

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