Giving a top performer the most resources and autonomy can paradoxically freeze a product’s trajectory. The logic is simple: a star’s success creates a “protective halo” that shields the project from external scrutiny, so managers stop demanding milestones, and the team drifts into a comfort zone where experimentation outpaces execution.

In Kodak’s case, the 1975 digital‑camera prototype built by Sasson’s small R&D squad was hailed as a breakthrough, and senior leadership responded by allocating a dedicated lab, a budget for “exploratory research,” and a promise of “no interference.” Without regular cross‑functional reviews, the engineers spent months refining sensor noise curves that mattered to academic papers but not to the consumer market timeline.

By the time the division finally presented a market‑ready version in 1986, the company’s film‑business had entrenched a culture that viewed digital as a threat, and the prototype was quietly archived. The missed window illustrates how over‑protecting star talent can mute the feedback loops that keep a product aligned with market needs.