What if the very instincts that made you successful are now putting your business at risk? Dominant leaders often double down on what's worked in the past instead of seeing the world as it's becoming. In today’s episode, we unpack the real reason Blockbuster failed—and it’s not just about missing the tech wave. It’s about biology!

We explore how the fear of loss can stall innovation and how Netflix thrived by doing the exact opposite: evolving early and often. Plus, I’ll share actionable strategies to help you break free from the trap of dominance, confront your loss aversion, and build the adaptive muscle your organization needs to survive change.

Remember to grab a copy of my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for the full roadmap to evolutionary leadership.

In this episode:

- Introduction to transform or die miniseries

- Blockbuster's dominance and complacency

- The rise of Netflix and Blockbuster's fear-driven decisions

- Transformational leadership lessons from Blockbuster's fall

- Final thoughts on Blockbuster's dominance and fall

Resources Used in the Episode:

Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk. Econometrica. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Behavioral_Decision_Theory/Kahneman_Tversky_1979_Prospect_theory.pdf

Van Vugt, M., & Ronay, R. (2014). The Evolutionary Psychology of Leadership. Organizational Psychology Review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274471020_The_evolutionary_psychology_of_leadership_Theory_review_and_roadmap

Christensen, C. M. (1997). The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harvard Business Review Press. http://lib.ysu.am/open_books/413214.pdf

Tushman, M. L., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1996). Ambidextrous Organizations: Managing Evolutionary and Revolutionary Change. California Management Review. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Organizational_Learning_and_Change/Tushman_&_OReilly_1996_Ambidextrous_Organizations.pdf

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

As leaders, our instinct might be to dominate, but true power lies in finding complementary strengths and negotiating shared wins. Today, we explore how coalitions, not empires, are nature's secret to enduring power. The evolutionary truth is simple: groups that collaborate grow stronger together, while those driven by dominance alone eventually crumble.

Throughout history, from the Allied powers in World War II to modern corporate partnerships like Starbucks and Spotify, coalitions have proven to be the key to long-term success. Leaders who build ecosystems of cooperation create lasting, sustainable success for everyone involved.

Tune in now to learn how to embrace collaboration and lead with wisdom to create a long-lasting legacy. Remember to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, to understand how evolutionary truths influence modern leadership and behavior.

In this episode:

- The evolutionary advantage of cooperation

- Strategies for leading through alliances

- A recap of primal instincts in leadership

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

What drives your decisions as a leader? Is it strategy or primal instincts? Today, we explore the status anxiety—the subtle force that drives many leadership decisions and often leads to missteps. Even when your business is thriving, seeing competitors succeed can trigger panic, pushing you to act without a clear strategy.

Through historical examples such as the Cold War arms race and Kodak's downfall, we uncover how status anxiety can cloud judgment and lead to disastrous outcomes. It's not about how well you're doing, but how well you’re doing relative to others.

Understanding this can help you make smarter, more strategic decisions without reacting emotionally to rivals. Tune in now and learn how to make more conscious leadership decisions. Remember to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, to understand how evolutionary truths influence behavior and business decisions today.

In this episode:

- The status anxiety and its evolutionary roots

- Historical examples of status anxiety

- Modern implications of status anxiety

- 3 strategies to overcome status anxiety

- A summary of key takeaways

Resources Used In This Episode:

Van Vugt, M., & Ronay, R. (2014). The Evolutionary Psychology of Leadership. Organizational Psychology Review, 4(1), 74–95: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274471020_The_evolutionary_psychology_of_leadership_Theory_review_and_roadmap

Axelrod, R. (1984). The Evolution of Cooperation: https://ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/Breakthrough/book/pdfs/axelrod.pdf

Sinek, S. (2019). The Infinite Game: https://a.co/d/bCoORzT

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences