Why your team is afraid to share ideas (and what to do about it)

A fascinating new study, “Before the ink dries?”, co-authored by Ellis and Brian J. Lucas from Cornell University, delves into the psychology of idea theft and how creators’ perceptions often clash with reality.

A Widespread Concern in the Workplace

The fear of idea theft isn't just paranoia — it's a legitimate concern affecting workers across all levels of organizations.

One survey cited in the study found that more than 80% of employees claimed to have had an idea stolen by their boss. Another found that nearly a third of employees claimed to have had an idea stolen by a colleague, at least once.

Yet many leaders dismiss the notion that idea theft is a risk.

“What I frequently hear leaders say is that you really shouldn't worry about having your idea stolen. Instead, we should focus on collaboration, because a single person cannot own an idea,” says Ellis. “They also say ideas are a dime a dozen. There are all these counter narratives about why people shouldn't worry about idea theft.”

Employees see things very differently, however.

“I hear stories all the time where someone comes up with an idea for, say, a potential pitch for a marketing campaign, or an idea for a new product, and someone else pursues it and gets credit, and the person who came up with it is furious. They don’t see it as a form of flattery at all — more of a violation, and it changes the way they share their ideas,” says Ellis.

Also read: To discover breakthrough ideas, look to the outsiders

The Creativity-Protection Paradox

Organizations face a challenging tension: they need employees to share ideas freely to foster innovation, but employees often hesitate due to fear of theft.

As Ellis explains, “Creative ideas fuel innovation, so it’s counterproductive for employees to hold onto them. We want them to ask for feedback, put their ideas out there — how else will the organization benefit from the creative capital their employees generate? We don’t want them thinking they won’t get credit for their contributions, and then taking their great ideas to another company.”

But if employees are afraid that their ideas will be stolen, does that influence how or whether they share their ideas? And do they share ideas strategically based on when they think their idea is most likely to be stolen?

One of the study's most surprising findings reveals a significant disconnect between when creators think their ideas are most vulnerable and when idea thieves actually prefer to strike.

Ellis and Lucas found evidence to suggest that creators tend to assume idea thieves are looking for polished, proven, fully formed ideas — the kind they can just grab and run with, minimizing their own effort. After all, why steal a half-baked idea when you can wait for the finished product?

But here’s the twist: idea thieves prefer to target ideas in their early stages, when they're still developing.

The Moral Calculus of Theft

What about the ethics of stealing ideas? Is there an argument to be made that taking, or “borrowing,” early-stage ideas is simply drawing inspiration rather than outright theft?

Ellis says creators typically view idea thieves as immoral and unethical. “However, our research found that idea thieves actually reported considering how to minimize harm and take the idea in the most ethical way possible,” she says.

The research reveals that idea thieves' preference for early-stage ideas is directly tied to their moral reasoning. According to the study, stealing early-stage ideas feels less unethical to thieves because they can more easily construe it as “drawing inspiration” rather than a blatantly unethical act; ideas at earlier stages have consumed fewer of the creator's resources than later-stage ideas; and this allows thieves to feel they are minimizing the harm caused by stealing the idea.

Organizational Impact and Trust Erosion

The implications of idea theft extend far beyond individual frustration. Ellis's research suggests that idea theft can be more damaging to workplace relationships than financial theft.

This damage to trust can have serious consequences for organizations. “Creativity is an important part of job performance and an individual’s relevance and value to a firm, especially in the knowledge economy,” says Ellis. “People need to know that when they invest their creative capital in the firm, there will be returns.”

If workers don't feel this is happening, it's reasonable for them to leave and invest those efforts elsewhere. “You would do the same if you were investing financially in a firm — if there were no returns, and in fact, your profits were going to another party and not yourself, it wouldn't make any sense from a business perspective to continue investing in that organization,” Ellis explains.

Building a Culture of Creative Safety

Rather than dismissing concerns about idea theft, organizations need to actively address them.

It's also important for leaders to communicate their values to the organization. One of those key values, in this instance, is that the company values employees’ creative contributions and wants to recognize them.

Consider this example: “Someone shares an idea in a meeting,” says Ellis, “and then someone else jumps in, shares an almost identical idea, and the boss jumps in and says, ‘Oh wow, that’s a great idea’ as if this is the first time it’s been raised. Meanwhile, the person who raised the idea originally is not referenced at all. This happens all the time, especially with women and minority group members.”

She adds: “One thing I observe in much healthier dynamics is when someone else chimes in and says ‘Yeah, that's a really good idea, that ties into what so-and-so was saying about this.’ Empowering people to explicitly speak up and affirm the ideas and people that maybe were overlooked is important. We build these dynamics together.”

Ellis advocates for developing clear cultural norms around creative attribution. “It doesn't have to be that we walk around saying, ‘that was so-and-so's idea.’ It can be that we are very conscious and intentional about amplifying the creative ideas and the creative contributions people bring to the table,” she says. “It doesn’t cost anything to acknowledge good work and good ideas.”

Moving Beyond Philosophical Debates

While some argue that ideas can't truly be owned or stolen, Ellis emphasizes that this misses the reality: “It’s a rich and engaging philosophical question, but let’s not let it distract from the real issue, which is that people are afraid of their ideas being stolen and it's affecting how they work.”

For organizations serious about fostering creativity and innovation, addressing idea theft isn't optional — it's essential for maintaining trust, retaining talent and creating an environment where creative ideas can flourish.