Key points

Expanding one's network, or boundary-spanning, can boost creativity by fueling employee thriving and learning.

Yet boundary-spanning can also tax cognition; ego depletion from heavy networking dampens creative output.

Overall creative gains shrink when this ego depletion outweighs the creative benefits.

Recognizing the signs of mental fatigue and taking time to recover can help individuals maintain balance.

Boundary-spanning: Creativity drain vs. gain Source: DALL-E/OpenAI

We are often told that the key to innovation is collaboration . In the workplace, the advice to "reach out," "network," and "break down silos" is constant.

My colleagues and I were interested in this very idea: What actually happens when employees "span boundaries " by building relationships and g

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