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

Have you ever walked away from a great deal just because something “felt” unfair? You are not alone! In this week’s episode, we explore the primal instinct of fairness—an ancient force wired deep into our brains that still shapes billion-dollar decisions today.

From workplace resentment to the Treaty of Versailles, I share how perceived unfairness destroys trust faster than any spreadsheet can measure, and why logic alone can’t fix what emotion breaks. Plus, I’ll walk you through three powerful leadership strategies to defuse fairness-based conflicts before they explode.

Whether you lead teams, negotiate deals, or broker partnerships, understanding fairness isn’t optional—it’s the hidden currency of trust. Tune in now and learn how to manage the fairness instinct. Remember to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for more evolutionary tools to lead wisely in a modern world.

In this episode:

- An introduction to the unfairness trap

- Exploring the fairness instinct and its impact in business

- Historical examples of fairness impact

- Strategies for smart leaders to manage the fairness instinct

- A summary of key takeaways

Resources Used In This Episode:

Brosnan, S. F., & de Waal, F. B. M. (2003). Monkeys Reject Unequal Pay. Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature01963

Fehr, E., & Schmidt, K. M. (1999). A Theory of Fairness, Competition, and Cooperation. Quarterly Journal of Economics: https://web.stanford.edu/~niederle/Fehr.Schmidt.1999.QJE.pdf

MacMillan, M. (2001). Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World: https://www.amazon.com/Paris-1919-Months-Changed-World/dp/0375760520

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

In today's fast-paced business world, it’s easy to overlook the ancient forces still shaping the way we lead. As leaders, we often react to challenges out of pride, signaling dominance to assert control and protect our position. But this primal drive—rooted in evolutionary psychology—can cloud our judgment and lead to costly mistakes.

In this episode, we dive into how primal instincts influence decision-making and the potential consequences on your business. Rather than acting on impulse, you’ll learn how to manage emotional reactions, de-escalate conflicts, and rise above primal instincts. We’ll also explore three practical strategies you can implement to lead more effectively and position your business for success.

If you're ready to step up your leadership game and break free from the grip of primal instincts, tune in to learn how to lead with clarity, control, and strategic insight. Don’t forget to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for more evolutionary insights on leadership development.

In this episode:

- Primal instincts in modern leadership

- Exploring the evolutionary psychology of dominance

- Historic and modern examples of dominance

- Strategies for leaders to overcome the dominance instinct

- Final thoughts on dominance and strategic leadership

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

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Science, Vol. 185, No. 4157. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

What does it take to lead a team through adversity and still come out on top? In this week’s episode, we explore the leadership principles exemplified by Sir Frank Williams, founder of the legendary Williams Racing Formula One team. Frank’s journey from humble beginnings to world championship provides powerful lessons for leaders in any field.

We’ll discuss how Frank's bold vision inspired his team to achieve the seemingly impossible, and how fostering innovation played a key role in his success. His story also highlights the importance of resilience—how, even after a life-altering accident, he was able to return and lead his team to victory.

As leaders, we must learn to maintain our focus and guide our teams through crises, setting an example with our actions. Join me as we uncover how Frank Williams’ leadership principles can inspire and elevate your team to excellence. Don’t forget to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for more evolutionary leadership insights.

In this episode:

- The rise of Sir Frank Williams and the Williams F1 team

- Innovation and engineering excellence for success

- Sir Frank’s resilience in the face of adversity

- Leading a team by example through tragedy

- Foundational leadership principles from Sir Frank

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

Have you ever walked into a strategy meeting, reviewed a well-polished forecast, and felt confident it was solid, only to watch everything unravel months later? You’re not alone. In this episode, we dive into one of the most dangerous yet overlooked pitfalls in leadership: the forecasting trap.

We unpack the three most prominent ways this decision making pitfall shows up and sabotages strategic business decisions: the overconfidence, recallability, and prudence traps. These aren’t just theories—they’re rooted in evolutionary psychology and backed by compelling case studies, from Boeing’s multi-billion-dollar delay to Blackberry’s market misfire.

But more importantly, we explore practical tools for sharpening foresight without killing momentum because leading through uncertainty isn’t about eliminating risk—it’s about building the muscle to navigate it wisely. Tune in for this and more!. And for a deeper dive, order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for more insights on decision-making traps.

In this episode:

- Introduction to decision-making traps

- The overconfidence trap

- The recallability trap

- The prudence trap

- Actionable strategies to avoid forecasting traps

- Conclusion and recommendations for further reading

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Harvard Business Review: The Hidden Traps in Decision Making, John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa (September–October 1998)

https://hbr.org/1998/09/the-hidden-traps-in-decision-making-2

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Science 185,1124-1131(1974). DOI:10.1126/science.185.4157.1124

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211(4481), 453–458.

https://sites.stat.columbia.edu/gelman/surveys.course/TverskyKahneman1981.pdf

Van Vugt and Ronay (2014). The Evolutionary Psychology of Leadership: Theory, Review, and Integration” (Organizational Psychology Review) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274471020_The_evolutionary_psychology_of_leadership_Theory_review_and_roadmap

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

As leaders, we're fascinated by Steve Jobs' legendary impact, but what really made him one of history's most iconic business figures? In today’s episode, we explore the depths of Jobs' leadership genius and flaws to reveal the evolutionary psychology behind his extraordinary yet controversial success.

From his theatrical product launches to his infamous fish tank demonstration, we examine why Jobs' leadership style worked—and where it went terribly wrong. You'll discover why vision without execution fails, how demanding excellence can either inspire or destroy, and why simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in business.

Don't let your leadership potential go unrealized. Tune in now and learn three lessons from Jobs' career that you can implement immediately. And if you want to dive deeper, grab my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for a practical roadmap on how great leaders embrace evolutionary truths for outstanding business results.

In this episode:

- Introduction to Steve Jobs' leadership style

- The visionary leader: Jobs' bold dreams and downfall

- The cost of excellence: Fear vs. inspiration

- Brand innovation: Execution over ideas

- Leadership lessons from Steve Jobs

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Isaacson, Walter. Steve Jobs. Simon & Schuster, 2011: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Steve-Jobs/Walter-Isaacson/9781982176860

Gallo, Carmine. The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs. McGraw-Hill Education, 2010: https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9780071748759

Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs. McGraw-Hill Education, 2009: https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9780071636087

Isaacson, Walter. Steve Jobs. Simon & Schuster, 2011: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Steve-Jobs/Walter-Isaacson/9781982176860

Hogan, R., & Kaiser, R. B. (2005). What we know about Leadership. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 169-180: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232604395_What_We_Know_About_Leadership

Vugt, M. van, & Ronay, R. (2014). The evolutionary psychology of leadership: Theory, review, and roadmap. Organizational Psychology Review, 4(1), 74-95: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274471020_The_evolutionary_psychology_of_leadership_Theory_review_and_roadmap

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: