Some of our readers have commented on what appears to be an occasional conflict in our message, especially when we refer to innovation.  At times we emphasize the topic of stability and the unchanging fundamentals of human nature, and then we refer to the vital importance of innovation.  How could these seemingly contradictory messages co-exist?

I'm not sure that this can be answered in one blog, but I'll make a couple comments to help us think through the psychological ramifications of both extremes.  By extremes, I mean that they can be viewed as opposite ends of a continuum, with blind innovation on one end, and rigid stability on the other.

Psychologically, the need or proclivity for stability can be driven by fear.  Whereas constant need for innovation can be driven by impatience, lack of persistence, and impulsivity.

There are currently so many new innovations in technology alone…social media, cloud computing, and mobility are all equally hot topics right now.  So how does a company balance the need for these new technologies, while also maintaining their older, established systems and solutions?

The common understanding in Organizational Psychology, is that there must be a delicate balance and more importantly, you must be aware of why you favor either side of the continuum.  Are you always fighting for stability and resisting change?  Or, are you always leaning towards innovation?  I can tell you that I tend to lean toward innovation, and have slowly made my journey towards balancing that with stability and patience within the last ten years.

For you more impulsive types who seek to innovate everything, you might experiment with recalling instances where your patience and persistence with the status quo paid off.  In contrast, those of you who cling to stability might surround yourselves with people who ask questions that seem bizarre.  Typically, the more odd the questions appear to be, the more likely they are to possibly lead to something better.

A case in point…While Sony was asking "How can we build the smallest MP3 player," Apple was asking "How do we make listening to music cool."  We all know where this led.

So… I continue to listen to basically the same music….but in a very different way.

Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.