Four Outdated Management Beliefs That Kill Innovation

Innovation is a tricky beast. Everyone talks about it, but few know how to foster it—and even fewer know how to avoid killing it. Some of the most innovative companies in the world, like Pixar, have figured out that innovation isn’t just about shiny new ideas; it’s about dismantling the outdated beliefs that stifle creativity before it even gets a chance. At Pixar, cofounder Ed Catmull realized that a few stubborn management ideas were acting like a dam, blocking the flow of fresh, game-changing ideas. And it wasn’t just Pixar. From tech giants to startups, these four outdated management beliefs—beliefs you probably haven’t thought twice about—can strangle your company’s innovation potential. Here’s why it’s time to toss them and build something better.

1. ‘Leaders know what’s going on.’

At Pixar, Catmull had a powerful realization: the higher up you climb, the more distorted the truth. His simple, but profound takeaway? If you’re not actively digging for the truth, you’re almost guaranteed to miss it. And when you miss it, you’re not just glossing over minor bumps—you’re heading straight for a crisis. The kind that makes leaders go, “Wait, how did we not see this coming?”

And, honestly, that’s on them.

Leaders need to stop acting like they have full clarity from their executive perches. Spoiler alert: they don’t. The farther you are from the ground, the more you need to acknowledge that your view is—at best—partial. The real story? It’s buried under layers of politeness, surface-level nods, and filtered feedback. So, if you want the truth, you’ve got to create systems to unearth it. You’ve got to dig.

That’s exactly why Catmull created the “Pixar Peer Pirates” program. No, it wasn’t about marauding ships, but about something equally bold: giving non-managers the green light to call out what’s broken. Here’s the thing—when feedback gets filtered through layers of hierarchy, what happens? Well, by the time it reaches the top, it’s been cleaned up, sanitized, and robbed of its sharp edges. You know, the kind of feedback that’s actually useful. So, Pixar cut out the middleman. They created a direct line from the people who see the problems up close to the leaders who can actually do something about it.

2. ‘Stay in your lane.’

Cross-pollination of ideas is where you go from “meh” to “wow.

Take Win or Lose, Pixar’s first-ever long-form series, as a prime example. During its production, the leaders of each department broke away from the traditional pipeline approach and embraced full creative collaboration. Instead of art, story, and animation working in separate lanes, the directors brought them all together from the very beginning. Editors were in the room when animators were pitching ideas, and story artists worked closely with the animation team to refine character expressions. It wasn’t just about passing a baton—it was about running together.

This open-door, all-hands-on-deck mentality helped shape Win or Lose‘s unique storytelling. The series centers on different characters’ perspectives leading up to a middle school softball game, so having animators, writers, and editors working side-by-side from day one allowed each episode to reflect that shift in tone and style effortlessly. That fluid exchange of ideas ensured that every character’s viewpoint was distinct and authentic, while the overall story stayed cohesive.

3. ‘Don’t break the chain of command.’

Let’s talk about the old “don’t go over your boss’s head” rule. We’ve all heard it. And it’s past its expiration date. If you’re building a workplace where every idea has to go through a chain of command, you’re clogging the system with bureaucracy. At Pixar, we leaned into a flatter communication model—one where even the newest intern had a voice. Leadership? It wasn’t about holding all the power. It was about guiding the team, creating the kind of space where creativity could flourish, and hierarchies took a backseat.

Need proof? Look no further than IBM. Once an AI pioneer with Watson, they fell behind in cloud computing. Why? Too much focus on legacy systems, too little on innovation. Companies stuck in the “this is how we’ve always done it” mode don’t leave room for experimentation. They don’t leave room for breakthroughs.

4. ‘Naysayers are troublemakers.’

If your instinct is to manage “troublemakers” into submission, you’re cutting off your company’s lifeblood. Your so-called “troublemakers”—those folks who ask hard questions, push back on bad decisions, or point out the elephant in the room—are your secret innovation weapon. Embrace them, or lose out on breakthroughs.

Companies that thrive, that break free from the bottlenecks, are the ones that embrace constructive disruption. Innovation isn’t a one-and-done process. It’s a mindset. It’s the daily practice of questioning, of creating a space where people feel safe to speak up, push back, and challenge the status quo.

The future of your company? It’s not in the hands of those who follow the rules. It’s with the ones willing to break them (constructively, of course). So, give your people room to experiment. Make space for dissent. And embrace the messy, glorious process of creativity. That’s where your next big breakthrough is waiting.

Innovation isn’t something you sprinkle on top of a project; it’s a muscle you build by tearing down outdated management beliefs that quietly hold back creativity. The companies that thrive are the ones that make space for bold experimentation, cross-departmental collaboration, and healthy dissent. Leaders need to actively dig for the truth, embrace constructive disruption, and—most importantly—empower the so-called “troublemakers” who challenge the status quo. That’s where real breakthroughs are born. So, loosen the reins, encourage some chaos, and watch your next big idea take shape.