Innovation Without Permission: Why We Need to Kill Status and Embrace Experimentation
In today’s fast-moving world, the biggest barrier to innovation isn’t a lack of talent, tools, or resources, its status. Traditional hierarchies, institutional red tape, and fear of failure often crush new ideas before they ever get a chance to breathe.
But here’s what I believe: Innovation doesn’t need permission. It needs courage, small bets, and a culture that rewards boldness over bureaucracy.
Let’s talk about why we need to kill status, rethink failure, and build organizations where experimentation becomes the default especially in the public sector.
Breaking Down Status to Build Up Innovation
I’ve seen it everywhere in academia, government, and corporate boardrooms. People are more focused on protecting their position than sharing bold ideas. Titles, degrees, and credentials have become status symbols that often shut down creativity instead of unlocking it.
But real collaboration? It starts with vulnerability.
The most impactful ideas come from places where people feel safe to drop their armor and speak freely.
We don’t need more meetings. We need more honest, casual conversations around dinner tables, in hallways, over coffee. That’s where innovation begins.
If we want our teams to do their best thinking, we need to stop leading with our titles and start leading with authenticity.
The Public Sector's AI Paradox
In the public sector, I constantly hear: “We’re behind. We can’t move fast. We’re waiting on policy.”
Let me be real: The problem isn’t technology, it's mindset.
The reality? Policy will always lag behind innovation. If you want change, you can’t wait, you have to lead it.
Generative AI is everywhere. My 6-year old son can design images from it. So why can’t a government analyst use it to write a memo or summarize a report?
You don’t need a policy memo to explore. You just need curiosity and a browser.
The truth is: Policy will always lag behind innovation. If we keep waiting for permission, we’ll always be late. If we want real change, we’ve got to lead it ourselves.
Innovation Starts with a Mindset Shift
We’re living in an era where a teenager can launch an AI-powered startup from their bedroom. The rules have changed. It’s no longer about who you are, it's about what you’re willing to try.
Don’t wait for permission.
Innovation happens when people take small bets, test ideas, and learn fast without fear.
Even the ideas that don’t work move us forward.
The best organizations don’t just tolerate experimentation, they build cultures that demand it.
We have to flip the internal dialogue. Instead of asking:
“Is this allowed?”
Let’s start asking:
“What’s possible?”
That question changes everything.
Empowering the Next Generation from Day One
Most onboarding processes are built to teach compliance, not creativity. We bring in talented, curious people and then immediately tell them to play it safe.
They say, Here’s how we do things. Fit in. Don’t shake things up.
What if we flipped that?
What if we asked:
What’s one thing you’d change here?
What’s an idea you’ve always wanted to try?
What’s one experiment you can run in your first 30 days?
Fresh eyes bring fresh solutions. Let’s empower the boldness we hired people for. That’s where disruption lives.
Rethinking Failure: From Punishment to Progress
Let’s be honest: most people don’t innovate because they’re scared.
Scared of looking stupid. Scared of breaking something. Scared of consequences.
But every great innovation has failure in its DNA.
If we want innovation to thrive, we need to:
Normalize failure as part of learning
Celebrate attempts not just results
Create safe spaces for feedback and iteration
We don’t need to be perfect. We just need to try, learn, and try again.
How Leaders Can Build a Culture of Experimentation
If you’re leading a team, your biggest job isn’t having all the answers, it's removing fear.
Here’s how:
Remove fear: Let your team know that smart risks are celebrated, not punished.
Encourage feedback loops: Share what worked, but also what didn’t.
Champion small wins: Big change often starts with tiny experiments.
The most innovative teams aren’t reckless, they're relentlessly curious.
Permissionless Innovation Is the New Mindset
Here’s the core of it all: Permissionless innovation.
Innovation doesn’t need a memo. Or a meeting. Or a mandate.
It needs people who are empowered to try things without waiting for approval.
This isn’t anarchy, it's trust.
Trust in your people. Trust in the process. Trust that good ideas don’t need a title to be taken seriously.
And the best part? It doesn’t require a re-org. It requires a shift in attitude.
And here’s the good news: This doesn’t require a full organizational restructure. It just takes a shift in mindset.
Final Thoughts: Innovation Starts With You
You don’t need a title to lead change.
You just need courage.
This isn’t about breaking rules. It’s about bending them toward better outcomes.
So if you want to build something extraordinary, start here:
Break down status barriers
Empower voices at every level
Experiment without fear
Promote action over perfection
Innovation isn’t a department. It’s a way of thinking.
And the most important culture shift we can make is this:
Stop asking, Are we allowed to do this?
Start asking, What’s stopping us from trying?
That’s not just how we innovate. That’s how we evolve.
That’s how we evolve.
That’s how we win.
That’s how we build the future together.
About the Author:
Shawn Kanungo is a globally recognized disruption strategist and keynote speaker who helps organizations adapt to change and leverage disruptive thinking. Named one of the "Best New Speakers" by the National Speakers Bureau, Shawn has spoken at some of the world's most innovative organizations, including IBM, Walmart, and 3M. His expertise in digital disruption strategies helps leaders navigate transformation and build resilience in an increasingly uncertain business environment.