Yesterday I wrote about Nokia’s collapse — and it made me stop and think. What would I do if I weren’t sure I’d have a job tomorrow? Would I resort to bullying and aggression to get something done that I clearly don’t understand the intricacies of? Chances are, I just might. When we’re in survival mode, all we’re thinking of is fight or flight — and when we fight, it’s all about aggression. And it’s tough to be around an aggressive leader, or worse, an entire leadership team operating that way.
The Finnish conglomerate knew Apple was developing a touchscreen product that could dethrone them from their decade-long dominance. What they lacked was the technical expertise and know-how to compete. But instead of acknowledging that gap, they let fear and a highly toxic, interpersonally aggressive culture take the lead.
They were so obsessed with the mission that they got blinded by the objective reality standing in the way. So they resorted to corporate bullying. As if aggression could substitute for understanding.