OK, I re-read what you said. You are right, projects are rarely created with that intention. But projects quickly develop an attribute of being a place to dump people.
1. Noisy executive wants to do something
2. Everyone else agrees, sure go ahead, but you have to staff it with the freaks
3. Noisy executive either shuts up or rolls the dice because her idea is so good
4. Project usually dies a slow death or by some crazy chance, project heats up and freaks are all seen as heros which get supplemented by steady pragmatists. Often freaks get sidelined (rewarded?) into managerial roles or wander off to do some other risky thing.
Generally steady pragmatists avoid these projects like the plague. They are just not risk oriented.
1. Noisy executive wants to do something
2. Everyone else agrees, sure go ahead, but you have to staff it with the freaks
3. Noisy executive either shuts up or rolls the dice because her idea is so good
4. Project usually dies a slow death or by some crazy chance, project heats up and freaks are all seen as heros which get supplemented by steady pragmatists. Often freaks get sidelined (rewarded?) into managerial roles or wander off to do some other risky thing.
Generally steady pragmatists avoid these projects like the plague. They are just not risk oriented.
This is sort of how startups work, btw.