PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY: THE VISIBLE HAND OF DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION

INTRODUCTION Economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, climate change, cybercrime, and a rapidly changing technological landscape add further layers of complexity to an already demanding role for leaders. These complexities demand a surge of disruptive innovation to overcome limitations, achieve breakthroughs in effectiveness and navigate the ever-changing landscape with global solutions. However, a concerning trend emerges from recent research: disruptive innovation is in decline. Studies documented a staggering 90% decrease in disruptive scientific innovation since the mid-20th century, mirroring a decline in U.S. research productivity (Park et al., 2023; Bloom et al., 2020). This shift towards incremental improvements, driven in part by rising research costs (Gold, 2021), poses a significant threat to economic growth, public health, and our ability to address existential challenges. While increasing research costs undoubtedly play a role, a…