Born To Disrupt: Episode 3 - Innovation, Disruption & The Critical Role Of People & Culture, Featuring Bill Ashlock

In this episode of Born to Disrupt, co-hosts Grant Niven, Simon Hardie and Mark Walker welcome Bill Ashlock, a seasoned financial services leader, tech. innovator, and mentor. The discussion centres on innovation, disruption, and the crucial role of people and culture in shaping these processes. Bill shares insights from a diverse career, highlighting the challenges of Innovation in both corporate and start up environments.

Boiling it all down, the discussion reinforces (yet again!) - getting the right culture in an organisation is one of THE most important enablers to driving innovation. "Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast" the mantra of business leader Mike Cunningham (former C-suite at BSF, ADCB and Barclays) and Grant echo's how spot on this is with Bill and his co-hosts.

You can find the Born to Disrupt podcast on all your favourite channels, including Spotify. or just listen away via link below:

The Personal Nature of Innovation

Bill argues that innovation is deeply personal, often misunderstood as purely technological. He stresses that behind every decision lies an individual's fears, uncertainties, and risk appetite. Many corporate leaders, he suggests, hesitate to adopt disruptive changes not because they doubt the technology, but because of the personal risks involved.

Cultural Barriers to Innovation

A major theme in the discussion is the cultural obstacles that prevent organisations from successfully innovating. Bill notes that while many businesses claim to encourage risk-taking and experimentation, they often fail to support those who experience set backs. He points out that in many companies, failures are punished rather than treated as learning opportunities, leading decision-makers to opt for safe, predictable choices rather than transformative innovation.

Lessons from Corporate & Startup Environments

Bill has worked extensively in both large corporate settings and entrepreneurial ventures, giving him a unique perspective on how different organisations approach disruption. He advises large enterprises to resist the temptation to force innovation into existing structures. Instead, they should create separate, autonomous teams to experiment and develop new ideas free from corporate constraints.

He expresses scepticism towards traditional "innovation labs", which are often detached from real business needs. Instead, he recommends that established companies should hire experienced innovators, empower them with resources, and allow them to build independently.

For startups, Bill stresses the importance of networking and securing the right investors who can support founders ambitions. He acknowledges that, particularly in the Middle East, many investors lack the long term patience needed to support disruptive businesses. He draws comparisons to companies like Amazon, which took years to turn profit but had patient investors willing to play the long game.

The Role of Trust and Open Conversations

Another key takeaway from the discussion is the importance of trust and transparency in driving innovation. Bill highlights that many senior leaders lack a safe space to discuss their doubts and challenges. He believes that the fear of exposing vulnerabilities prevents leaders from making bold decisions and embracing change.

He advocates for coaching and mentorship, suggesting that organisations should foster an environment where leaders feel comfortable seeking advice. He recalls a time when Google rewarded and executive with a promotion despite a failed project, reinforcing the idea that true innovation requires resilience (GRIT) and a culture that supports learning from failure.

Concluding Thoughts

The conversation concludes with Bill offering advice to both large organisations and start up founders. Her urges corporations to invest in people-led innovation rather than relying on superficial strategies, and encourages startups to focus on resilience, knowledge, and finding aligned investors.

Ultimately, the episode underscores that innovation is not just about technology - it is about culture, trust, and the courage to take risks. Organisations that truly embrace these principles stand the best chance of driving meaningful disruption.

We're delighted to have Bill Ashlock work with use closely as a Pioneer at Mingzulu, thanks for taking the time to share your experiences with our community!