The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry with Jacquie McNish
Release Date: 02/23/2026
Nokia’s Comeback Explained: Emotion, Strategy & Boardroom Decisions
The Innovation Show
How did Nokia survive one of the most dramatic collapses in business history? In this episode, we explore the hidden driver of strategy under pressure: emotion. Drawing on research based on 100+ interviews inside Nokia between 2007 and 2013 , INSEAD’s Quy Huy and Aalto University’s Timo Vuori join Aidan McCullen to explain how large organizations can execute radical pivots—not just through analysis, but through structured emotion regulation. We unpack how Nokia moved from denial, fear, and rigid thinking to a disciplined, data-driven, and emotionally aware strategy process that...
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Everyone Thinks the iPhone Killed Nokia. They're Wrong!
The Innovation Show
Most people believe the iPhone killed Nokia. But the real story behind Nokia’s collapse is far more complex — and much more human. At its peak Nokia controlled nearly 50% of the global mobile phone market and had over one billion customers. Yet within a few years the company lost the smartphone war as Apple and Google reshaped the industry. In this episode we continue our deep dive into the research of Quy Huy and Timo Vuori, whose study reveals how fear inside Nokia distorted communication and decision-making. Senior leaders felt intense pressure from competitors and investors, while...
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Who Killed Nokia? How Fear and Emotion Derail Strategy, Innovation, and Truth-Telling.
The Innovation Show
Nokia didn’t lose the smartphone battle because it lacked smart people or a strategy deck. It lost because fear and shared emotions quietly reshaped attention, filtered information, and weakened truth-telling. Quy Huy (INSEAD) and Timo Vuori (Aalto University)—authors of the 2016 research on Nokia’s collapse—explain how leaders hid emotions behind “technology and finance talk,” how dissent was punished, and how misaligned fearformed: executives feared competitors and shareholders while middle managers feared their bosses. We connect the dots to psychological safety, power traps,...
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The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry with Jacquie McNish
The Innovation Show
BlackBerry once ruled the business world. Presidents, CEOs, and Wall Street relied on its encrypted devices. Then the iPhone arrived — and everything changed. In this episode, Jacquie McNish, co-author of Losing the Signal, unpacks the untold story behind: • The improbable rise of Research In Motion • The 2011 global outage crisis • The NTP patent war • 9/11 and encrypted messaging dominance • The internal fracture between Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie • The Storm failure • The QNX pivot and BlackBerry’s second act A fascinating case study in leadership psychology,...
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Corporate Innovation Strategy: Return Maps, Managing Up & Forecasting with Chuck House
The Innovation Show
Why does corporate innovation fail so often — even with talented teams and strong ideas? In this episode of The Innovation Show with Aidan McCullen, intrapreneur and innovation veteran Chuck House returns to explain why innovation dies when projects, programs, and strategy aren’t clearly connected — and why executives often misjudge innovation timelines because they’re optimizing established businesses. Chuck breaks down the 4 intrapreneur traits (curiosity, perspective, resilience, and comfort with data) and the overlooked career skill that makes or breaks intrapreneurs: managing...
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Digital Transformation Playbook (10 Years On) AI, Disruption & Platform Strategy with David Rogers
The Innovation Show
This week’s guest is David Rogers, Columbia Business School professor and author of Digital Transformation Playbook. We discuss digital transformation strategy, AI in business, disruptive innovation, platform business models, network effects, and leadership in the age of AI. If you’re navigating digital transformation or AI strategy, this episode is essential listening. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:35 Meet the Digital Transformation Expert 01:38 Impact of the Digital Transformation Playbook 05:40 Evolution of Digital Transformation 07:24 The Role of AI in Digital...
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Behind the Music: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift Part 2 with Kevin Evers
The Innovation Show
In this episode, we explore the strategic brilliance of Taylor Swift with Kevin Evers, author of There’s Nothing Like This. From genre-shifting reinventions to billion-dollar tours, Taylor’s evolution isn’t just musical—it’s a masterclass in brand, resilience, and audience engagement. 🎯 We cover: The pivot from country to global pop dominance How Taylor handled public backlash & the Kanye/Kardashian controversy Her savvy response to the streaming revolution Ownership battles over her masters and how it reshaped the industry Building the Eras Tour as a pinnacle of fan-first...
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The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift with Kevin Evers-esv2-96p-bg-10p
The Innovation Show
In this episode, Aidan McCullen welcomes Kevin Evers, editor at Harvard Business Review Press and author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. Together, they explore how Taylor Swift built not just a music career—but a global business empire. From fearless reinvention and blue ocean strategy to her mastery of fan engagement and brand evolution, Taylor Swift’s rise is a masterclass in innovation, leadership, and vision. Learn how her career mirrors the strategic moves of top businesses, and what leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators can take away from her...
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From Rambling to Impact The Power of Making a Point
The Innovation Show
📘 Guest: Joel Schwartzberg, author of Get to the Point & The Language of Leadership In this episode, we cut through the noise and get straight to the point—literally. Communication expert and author Joel Schwartzberg returns to discuss the art and science of clarity in communication. Whether you’re a leader, innovator, speaker, or simply want to stop rambling and start resonating, this episode is packed with practical, game-changing advice. We explore: Why having a clear point is the cornerstone of influence How to sharpen your message with Joel’s “I believe” and “XY”...
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Unlocking the Power of Insights with Gary Klein | Insights and Innovation
The Innovation Show
In this episode, we sit down with Gary Klein, author of Seeing What Others Don’t, to explore the fascinating science behind insights and how organizations can foster smarter thinking and innovation. Klein dives deep into over 120 real-world stories he’s collected—ranging from Daniel Boone to Napoleon—and explains the two powerful triggers behind most breakthroughs: connections and anomalies. Discover how organizations often suppress insights, and why a focus on predictability and perfection can kill innovation. Learn about his new concept of Insight Audits and how leaders can shift...
info_outlineBlackBerry once ruled the business world.
Presidents, CEOs, and Wall Street relied on its encrypted devices. Then the iPhone arrived — and everything changed.
In this episode, Jacquie McNish, co-author of Losing the Signal, unpacks the untold story behind:
• The improbable rise of Research In Motion
• The 2011 global outage crisis
• The NTP patent war
• 9/11 and encrypted messaging dominance
• The internal fracture between Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie
• The Storm failure
• The QNX pivot and BlackBerry’s second act
A fascinating case study in leadership psychology, technological disruption, and strategic inflection points.
This is a masterclass in: Innovation Leadership Disruption Scaling culture Strategic blindness Corporate inflection points
📘 Book: Losing the Signal by Jacquie McNish & Sean Silcoff https://amzn.to/4tVBHWk
🎙 Hosted by Aidan McCullen Aidan McCullen is a Thinkers50 Innovation Award winner, recognised for his contribution to global innovation practice through The Innovation Show.
Aidan is a Global and Irish Keynote speaker recognized for his engaging storytelling style and his bestselling book Undisruptable: A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention. The Innovation Show remains the only podcast ever to receive a Thinkers50 award, and Aidan is only the second Irish person—after Charles Handy—to be honoured.
#BlackBerry #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #TechHistory #Leadership #StartupLessons #iPhone #Apple #Entrepreneurship #Disruption