On Managing Innovators

I have been reading Alfred Sloan's My Years with General Motors on the advice of a mentor who referred to it as the exception to his rule of not reading business books.  I find it very interesting thus far, mostly waiting for car names I recognize, watching out for now canonical management points as they evolve, and generally appreciating Mr. Sloan's writing style.  On page 78 I came across the following letter from Mr. Sloan to one of his engineers, working on a new style of car and not finding success after a recent launch:

Dear Kettering:-

It is most important in our opinion that your mind be kept free from worries foreign to the development of the air cooled car and other laboratory work. 

In the development and introduction of anything so radically different from standard practice... it is natural that there should be a lot of "wiseacres" and "know-it-alls" standing around knocking the development.

In order that your mind be completely relieved as to the position of the undersigned..…