Neil Washburn is Inolex's President. He is an outcomes-oriented leader who has a passion for creating thriving organizations. Neil helps guide and support short-term initiatives and our long-term strategic vision, while advancing our technology strategies in service to our customers. Prior to joining Inolex, Neil had a successful 40-year career at Dupont.
Perspective
“Any job big or small, do it right or not at all” was a mantra from my mom. A natural curiosity for how everything works came from my father. In school it was about being challenged to be the best at what you do. Those habits open many doors.
Innovation interests me because success comes from integrating customer and market information with potential technical solutions. It only works if you do it better than your competitors. When you are able to integrate all the elements and leverage the expert perspectives of your team, it becomes a giant multi-dimension puzzle. It is so much fun!
Getting the right people into the right roles is an art form. Encouraging team members to strive for excellence by supporting their professional and personal growth helps organizations achieve the results they seek, and more.
A philosophy I live by–Don’t think you can pick winners or losers. Listen to customers carefully and run experiments both in the lab and in the marketplace. Commit to those opportunities that continue to make sense as you learn about the validity of key assumptions.
I always run a barometer test when I'm at a crossroads by asking myself: The problem. Is it real? Your capability. Can you win? The opportunity. Is it worth it?
I want my colleagues to know "I have your back". I’m totally ok with you trying and failing so long as you learn from the experience.