Why did Nokia really fail? Was it because they missed the shift—or because Apple was simply better?
The real story is far more complex. In this video, prof. Timo Vuori shares insights from his in-depth research into Nokia, revealing what truly happened behind the scenes.
0:00 Introduction
0:57 The surprising truth
1:53 Diving inside Nokia
2:43 Fear at the top
3:24 Fear + pressure in the middle
4:33 It was those human moments...
5:27 They couldn't face what they knew
6:13 What about your company?
7:30 End screen
He connects these findings to his own research:
Vuori, T. O., & Huy, Q. N. (2016). Distributed attention and shared emotions in the innovation process: How Nokia lost the smartphone battle. Administrative science quarterly, 61(1), 9-51.
In this video, Timo Vuori explores how leaders’ emotions can shape—and sometimes distort—strategic decision-making. Using Donald Trump’s approach to Iran as an example, he highlights how factors like overconfidence, relying on intuition and failed assumptions can lead to flawed strategy.
0:00 Introduction
0:44 Lesson 1 Dangers of relying on intuition alone
2:07 Lesson 2 Encourage and listen to critical opinions
4:29 Lesson 3 Understand your own team
5:40 Lesson 4 Understand your competitors
7:23 Lesson 5 Understand the ecosystem
9:25 Lesson 6 Update your assumptions frequently
11:10 Conclusion
He connects these findings to his own research:
Vuori, T. O., & Huy, Q. N. (2022). Regulating top managers’ emotions during strategy making: Nokia’s socially distributed approach enabling radical change from mobile phones to networks in 2007–2013. Academy of Management Journal, 65(1), 331-361.
Vuori, T. O., & Huy, Q. N. (2016). Distributed attention and shared emotions in the innovation process: How Nokia lost the smartphone battle. Administrative science quarterly, 61(1), 9-51.
Nokia's renewal is one of the greatest stories in modern corporate history.
In this video, Professor Timo Vuori explains how they incorporated emotional intelligence into their strategy and transformed Nokia’s state from steep decline to full renewal.
0:00 Introduction
0:39 Almost Repeating the Same Mistake
1:32 Managing Emotions Changed Everything
2:22 Stage 1 Creating Psychological Safety
4:23 Stage 2 Facing Reality Through Scenarios
6:44 Stage 3 Keeping Options Alive
8:38 Stage 4 From Gut Feeling to Informed Decisions
10:09 Nokia’s Lessons in the Age of AI
The video is based on his own research with INSEAD Prof. Quy Huy:
Vuori, T. O., & Huy, Q. N. (2022). Regulating top managers’ emotions during strategy making: Nokia’s socially distributed approach enabling radical change from mobile phones to networks in 2007–2013. Academy of Management Journal, 65(1), 331-361.
In this video, Timo Vuori explains why AI adoption remains so challenging for organizations—and why the biggest obstacles are not technological, but human and organizational.
0:00 Intro
0:30 1. The target is constantly shifting
0:56 2. Ambiguity of value
3:06 3. Identity threat
3:54 Solution 1: Experiment
5:19 Portfolio thinking
5:57 Workflow redesign
8:21 Solution 2: Empathy
Drawing on recent research from Harvard Business Review, the discussion highlights why many companies struggle to turn AI investments into real value.
He connects these findings to his own research:
Vuori, T. O. (2024). Emotions and attentional engagement in the attention-based view of the firm. Strategic Organization, 22(1), 189-210.
Key articles referenced:
https://hbr.org/2026/02/where-senior-leaders-are-struggling-with-ai-adoption-according-to-research
https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-people-are-really-using-gen-ai-in-2025
https://hbr.org/2026/01/a-systematic-approach-to-experimenting-with-gen-ai
https://hbr.org/2026/02/ais-big-payoff-is-coordination-not-automation
Many corporate transformations fail due to emotional resistance. It's very rare to see success cases.
In this video, Ilkka Lipasti, Group Vice President at ABB, shares his insights on the very successful transformation of ABB.
0:00 Introduction
0:35 What Changed Inside ABB
1:15 Facing Reality: The Brutal Facts
2:21 1. From Top-Down to Bottom-Up
3:44 2. Expectation Clash
4:48 3. Fixing the Process in Real Time
6:05 4. Structured Decision-Making
7:05 Change Built Energy
7:37 3 Foundations for Successful Transformation
11:05 How to Turn the Foundations into Action
Strategy is all about maximizing long-term results.
In this video, Prof. Timo Vuori explains six key lessons to help you optimize your performance by integrating emotion management and emotional intelligence into strategy formulation and execution.
0:00 Introduction
0:32 1. The Future Feels Too Far to Matter
2:02 2. Loss Feels Stronger than Gain
4:54 3. Your Mood Decides What You See
6:49 4. Defensiveness & Denial
8:21 5. Emotions Affecting Teamwork
9:24 6. Knowledge Doesn't Lead to Action
10:21 Master Emotions, Master Strategy
Intuition hyödyntäminen johtamistyössä on noussut yhä kiinnostavammaksi teemaksi. Tutkimukset ovat osoittaneet, että yhdistämällä intuition ja analyyttisen ajattelun on mahdollista tehdä parempia ja nopeampia päätöksiä.
-Voiko intuitiota harjoittaa jollakin tapaa?
-Mitä tarkoittavat ajatusvääristymät ja miksi näihin kannattaa kiinnittää huomiota johtamisessa?
Akatemian Aivonyrjähdyksissä keskustelemassa Timo Vuori, Aalto EE:n professori sekä HRD-päällikkö Henna Peltola
Dr. Timo Vuori, a strategy expert from @aaltouniversity explores how emotions like fear, overconfidence, and passion shape #leadershipand decision-making. Using examples like #Nokia’s downfall and #elonmuskTwitter acquisition, he reveals how emotions can drive innovation or lead to costly mistakes.
“Elon Musk and Emotional Decisions” is now on the Curious by Nature podcast with Dr. Timo Vuori.
Timo Vuori, Professor of Strategic Management, Aalto University.
Participative decision-making in strategy implementation: theoretical framework and case study Trailmaker.
“It was exciting to notice, that this kind of participative decision-making process significantly saves time, as much as a year.
People start to understand things in the same way, namely what we are supposed to do and why. This creates a psychological state of commitment.
My view is that planning is important. But it is also important to consider how to ensure efficient and fast implementation.”
The Essentials of Emotional Intelligence online course will help you on your way towards a deeper understanding of emotional intelligence and spark your interest in learning more. In this course, you will be looking at emotional intelligence and why it is widely seen as a predictor of potential and future performance. You will learn about emotional intelligence's impact on individual performance, team results, and organizational climate. Finally, you will be introduced to ideas and tools that will enable you to increase your emotional intelligence.
Learn more at www.aaltoee.com/eqonline.
