🔮 Navigating the Accelerated S-Curve with Paul Nunes | Big Bang Disruption & Shark Fin Strategy

Welcome to episode 2 of our exclusive Harvard Business School series! 🎓 Join host Aidan McCullen as he interviews Paul Nunes, renowned as the King of the S-Curve, in a masterclass on navigating today's fast-evolving business cycles.

📈 Discover how exponential technology change is collapsing traditional life cycles and creating "Shark Fin" business models—where sudden success can be catastrophic and strategic timing is everything. Paul explains how companies like Netflix, Apple, Peloton, and Intel navigated (or missed) these cycles and what it means for your business.

🔥 Learn about Big Bang Disruption, the death of early adopters, managing multiple S-curves, the rise of orchestrator firms, and how strategy must evolve for verticalized industries, fleeting advantage, and supply chain complexity.

⏰ Timestamps for Key Topics:

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

00:26 - The Evolution of S-Curves

01:43 - What is the Shark Fin Strategy?

03:52 - Managing Multiple S-Curves

05:29 - Rapid Market Change & Business Lifecycle

07:42 - Case Studies: American Giant & Peloton

10:30 - The New Supply Chain Realities

18:01 - Is Vertical Integration Still Viable?

24:13 - Strategy in the Age of Compression

24:34 - Industry Diversification & Component Thinking

25:17 - Nvidia, Intel, and Strategic Orchestration

27:02 - Innovation vs. Manufacturing Models

33:15 - Capital Investment, Risk & Timing

39:06 - Why the Chief Strategy Officer Role is More Crucial Than Ever

47:55 - Final Reflections & Thank Yous

💡 Whether you're a strategist, innovator, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode is a must-watch to future-proof your thinking and strategy.

📚 Based on Paul's seminal works: Jumping the S-Curve, Big Bang Disruption, and Pivot to the Future

🔗 Watch, learn, and subscribe for more expert-led strategy content!

#SCurve #BigBangDisruption #PaulNunes #SharkFinStrategy #BusinessStrategy #Innovation #ChiefStrategyOfficer #AidanMcCullen #HBS #Nvidia #Intel #Netflix #Apple #Peloton #ExponentialChange #FutureOfBusiness

Based on a ten-year study, Teresa Amabile reveals why retirement—and any major life transition—requires far more psychological work than we expect.

In this special episode of The Innovation Show, recorded at Klarman Hall at Harvard Business School, Aidan McCullen sits down with renowned psychologist and researcher Teresa Amabile to explore one of the most underestimated transitions we face: the move out of a long-held role and into what comes next.

Drawing on a ten-year study of 120 professionals—many healthy, financially secure, and highly accomplished—Amabile reveals a striking insight: when people hear the word retirement, their dominant associations are fear, uncertainty, and loss of identity. And that fear has little to do with money or health.

This conversation reframes retirement as a broader human challenge: how we navigate endings, detach from identities that once defined us, and rebuild a life structure that still allows for progress, meaning, and contribution. Amabile outlines the four core tasks people must work through when leaving a career, why these tasks rarely happen in a neat sequence, and why "it takes work to stop working."

The discussion also examines the role organisations play—often poorly—in this transition. From sidelining experienced contributors to missing opportunities for knowledge transfer, Aidan and Teresa explore how meaningful final assignments, creative work, rituals, and continued post-retirement connection can dramatically improve outcomes for both individuals and institutions.

Along the way, Amabile introduces the Four A's framework—Alignment, Awareness, Agency, and Adaptability—as a practical lens for navigating not only retirement, but any major life or career transition. The episode closes with a nuanced exploration of purpose, showing how meaning in later life often shifts away from grand missions toward day-to-day quality, relationships, and contribution.

This is not an episode about "retiring early" or financial planning. It's about renewal, identity, and preparing—psychologically, relationally, and structurally—for the transitions we all know are coming, but rarely prepare for.

Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Welcome 00:13 The Concept of Preparing for the Future 00:37 Introducing Theresa Am Abate 00:43 Gifts and Gratitude 01:47 Sponsor Acknowledgment 02:04 The Word 'Retirement' and Initial Reactions 02:39 Research Findings on Retirement Perceptions 05:21 The Four Tasks of Retirement 07:01 Framework for Renewal and Organizational Change 13:16 The Role of Organizations in Supporting Retirees 18:50 The Importance of Rituals and Celebrations 24:37 Life Structure and Retirement 31:24 Practical Actions and The Four A's Framework 37:17 Finding Purpose in Retirement 40:45 Final Thoughts and Messages

Recorded live at Harvard Business School with thanks to the production team Dave, Ellie and Simona and sponsor Kyndryl.

Join us for a special edition of The Innovation Show, recorded at Harvard Business School, featuring Scott D. Anthony, Clinical Professor at the Tuck School of Business and co-author of Seeing What's Next with the late Clay Christensen. Scott joins us to discuss his latest book, "Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World."

In this episode, Scott shares insights from his groundbreaking book, Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World. Through compelling historical parallels and modern business cases, he uncovers the hidden patterns that define true disruptive innovation and how leaders can respond with resilience and creativity.

From Henry Ford and the Model T to the fall of Constantinople, from Netflix vs. Blockbuster to the scientific revolution, Scott connects past transformations to today's urgent innovation challenges. He unpacks powerful concepts like emergent strategy, value networks, and the critical role of business models in enabling — or blocking — change.

Whether you're a startup founder, corporate leader, or curious learner, this episode delivers practical, thought-provoking guidance on navigating disruption in real time.

Special thanks to the Harvard Business School Publishing team for hosting us, and to our sponsor Kyndryl for their continued support of forward-thinking conversations on The Innovation Show.

What You'll Learn:

The difference between sustaining vs. disruptive innovation

Why innovation diffusion is often slower than we think

Lessons from the Honda Super Cub and Kodak's collapse

How McDonald's, the printing press, and scientific revolutions disrupted systems — not just products

Actionable frameworks like the ABCs of Dual Transformation

Episode Chapters & Highlights

00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgements

00:22 Introducing Today's Guest: Scott D. Anthony

01:38 Defining Innovation and Disruption

04:10 Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation

07:03 Netflix vs. Blockbuster: A Case Study

07:47 The Value Network and Market Dynamics

16:50 Emergent Strategy and the Honda Super Cub

18:37 Gunpowder and the Innovator's Dilemma

23:03 The Fall of Constantinople: A Lesson in Disruption

32:42 The Printing Press: Collaboration and Consequences

35:50 The Slow Diffusion of Innovations

38:24 The Kodak Story: A Tale of Missed Opportunities

44:17 The ABCs of Dual Transformation

50:10 The Historical Impact of the Scientific Revolution

56:04 McDonald's: Revolutionizing the Fast Food Industry

01:05:07 The Persistence of Henry Ford and the Model T

01:09:25 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Quotes from the Episode:

"Innovation is something different that creates value... Disruption takes things that were complicated and expensive, makes them simple and affordable, and changes market dynamics." — Scott D. Anthony

"History doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes... The walls that stood for a thousand years collapsed in 47 days. What is your equivalent to the Theodosian Walls?" — Scott D. Anthony

Links & Resources:

Book: Epic Disruptions by Scott D. Anthony

Website: EpicDisruptions.com

Connect with Scott: LinkedIn

Connect with The Innovation Sho

Connect with Aidan: LinkedIn

Tags/Keywords: Disruptive Innovation, Scott D. Anthony, Clayton Christensen, Business Strategy, Corporate Transformation, History of Innovation, Dual Transformation, McDonald's Case Study, Kodak, Artificial Intelligence, The Innovation Show, Aidan McCullen.

The Innovation Show with Aidan McCullen | Guest: Chuck House

How do you drive real innovation inside a large organisation—without getting shut down by hierarchy, process, or short-term thinking?

In this episode of The Innovation Show, host Aidan McCullen is joined by legendary Hewlett-Packard intrapreneur Chuck House, author of Permission Denied, for a deep dive into intrapreneurship, corporate innovation, and innovation leadership.

Drawing on decades of experience building breakthrough technologies at HP, Chuck shares the 7 rules of intrapreneurship, explains why most organisations unintentionally kill innovation, and reveals what both intrapreneurs and leaders must do differently to succeed.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The key differences between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs

• Why intrapreneurs need air cover, not permission

• The 7 rules every intrapreneur must follow

• Why doing your own market research is non-negotiable

• How asking "why" relentlessly leads to breakthrough innovation

• Why great intrapreneurs often look like troublemakers

• How leaders can identify, fund, and empower intrapreneurs

• Why traditional KPIs and program reviews fail exploratory innovation

• Lessons from Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and major corporate innovation efforts

The conversation also explores the rarely discussed discipline of managing intrapreneurs, including how executives can create the conditions for innovation without smothering it with metrics, timelines, or control systems designed for incremental work.

This episode is essential listening for:

• Innovation leaders and executives

• Transformation and strategy teams

• Corporate intrapreneurs

• Product leaders and change agents

• Anyone trying to innovate inside a complex organisation

About the Host

Aidan McCullen is a Thinkers50 Global Innovation Award winner (2025), founder of the Reinvention Summit, and host of the globally acclaimed Innovation Show. A bestselling author and former international rugby player, Aidan advises global organisations on innovation, transformation, and leadership.

About the Guest

Chuck House is a pioneering intrapreneur whose work at Hewlett-Packard helped shape modern computing and systems innovation. His book Permission Denied is widely regarded as essential reading for corporate innovators.

🔔 Subscribe to The Innovation Show for conversations with the world's leading thinkers on innovation, transformation, leadership, and the future of work.

In this episode of The Innovation Show, Chuck House—legendary HP intrapreneur and author of Permission Denied—joins Aidan McCullen, host of The Innovation Show and a Thinkers50 Innovation Award recipient, to explore the real dynamics behind innovation inside large organizations.

House shares how he repeatedly challenged assumptions, defied orders, built high-performing teams, and navigated the "corporate immune system" to create breakthrough technologies such as the logic analyzer and Pisces system. Together, Chuck and Aidan unpack why innovation is resisted, how success blinds leaders to the next paradigm shift, and what intrapreneurs must do to survive and thrive.

Brought to you by Kyndryl, this conversation blends deep corporate experience with modern innovation thinking—from one of HP's most impactful engineers and one of the world's leading thinkers on transformation and change.

Episode Highlights

• Why organizations punish failure while preaching innovation

• The paradox of permission: what leaders say vs. what innovators hear

• How established success blinds teams to new paradigms

• Emotional and psychological realities of intrapreneurs

• How to unlearn, relearn, and escape old mental models

• Why existing sales forces resist innovative products

• Hard-earned lessons from HP's logic analyzers & the Pisces project

• What leaders must do to build systems—not heroes—that drive innovation

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro & Sponsor

00:30 Chuck House returns

00:57 Defiant innovation at HP

01:44 Permission paradox

03:07 Amazon's failure philosophy

03:47 Radical transparency

05:16 Future architecture & vision

06:00 Chuck reflects on his journey

07:47 AMD recruitment story

17:02 Paradigm shifts

19:34 Organizational resistance

22:42 Innovation cycles

32:26 Unlearning & relearning

40:16 The irony of pointing fingers

40:45 Navigating new paradigms

44:18 Challenges of intrapreneurship

44:33 Winning the sales channel

45:09 Sales force resistance

51:44 Understanding real customers

53:08 Innovation vs incrementalism

01:03:03 Rise & fall of logic analyzers

01:08:00 Managing intrapreneurial projects

01:13:06 Quality, collaboration & culture

01:20:34 Closing reflections

About the Guest

Chuck House is an award-winning engineer, HP Fellow, and author of Permission Denied. His innovations shaped decades of computing and instrumentation, and his perspective on intrapreneurship remains profoundly relevant.

About the Host

Aidan McCullen is an author, global keynote speaker, innovation consultant, and host of The Innovation Show. A former international rugby player for Ireland, he later moved into transformation roles across media and technology. Aidan is the author of Undisruptable, lectures on emerging technology at Trinity College Dublin, and is recognised by Thinkers50 for his global contribution to innovation and reinvention.

https://aidanmccullen.com

In this special Thinkers50 edition of Innovation Show X, sponsored by Kyndryl, host Aidan McCullen brings together three of the world's most influential management thinkers—Alex Osterwalder, Howard Yu, and Sangeet Paul Choudary—to explore how AI is transforming the architecture of business.

What makes this conversation extraordinary is that, unknown to everyone at the time of recording, each participant would receive a major Thinkers50 recognition just hours later:

• Sangeet Paul Choudary — Thinkers50 Strategy Award

• Howard Yu — reaffirmed in the Thinkers50 global ranking

• Alex Osterwalder — reaffirmed in the Thinkers50 global ranking

• Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award

This episode captures four award-winning perspectives before the accolades were announced—an unfiltered, spontaneous exchange on the real work of reinvention.

🎙️ Episode Overview

AI is reshaping the business landscape, but most organisations focus on tools rather than the deeper question: How must business models, organisational structures, and leadership mindsets evolve in an AI-driven world?

Together, Alex, Howard, Sangeet, and Aidan unpack:

• Why 95% of GenAI projects fail and what organisations miss

• How AI reshuffles entire industries, not just processes

• The hidden role of corporate antibodies in killing new ideas

• Why visionary leadership matters more than ever

• How modular, fluid organisations create a real edge

• What learning engines look like in practice

• Why the real value moves from "answers" to sensemaking

• How leaders can place better bets in uncertainty

• Why it's not an "AI strategy" you need, but a strategy for the world AI creates

This is a masterclass in strategic reinvention from four globally recognised thinkers.

⏱️ Chapter Timestamps

00:00 Introduction & Sponsor Message (Kyndryl) 00:41 The Confusing Landscape of AI in Business 01:20 Amara's Law & Business Impact 01:43 Panel Introduction at Thinkers50 02:25 Sangeet on Containerisation & Second-Order Effects 06:59 Osterwalder on Business Model Innovation 09:34 Yu on Capabilities & Industry Shifts 12:51 FOTO, Metaverse Missteps & Strategic Priority 15:21 Leadership Vision & the Capability Gap 21:32 Modularity & Learning Engines 37:00 Codifying an Innovation Culture 38:20 Vision Cascading Through Organisations 40:01 Why Good Ideas Fail to Scale 41:41 Leadership's Role in Innovation 43:13 From Sensing to Sensemaking 44:31 Exploration, Exploitation & Fluid Organisations 46:37 Continuous Change & Industry Reshuffling 49:04 The Future of AI in Business 50:33 Killing Projects & Resource Allocation 01:02:27 Closing Thoughts — Business Basics in an AI World

🌍 About the Guests

Alex Osterwalder – Prolific Author, Creator of the Business Model Canvas and co-founder of Strategyzer; Thinkers50 global thought leader.

Howard Yu – Author of Leap, LEGO Professor of Management & Innovation (IMD); Thinkers50 global thought leader.

Sangeet Paul Choudary – Author of Platform Revolution and Reshuffle; Thinkers50 Strategy Award winner.

Aidan McCullen – Author of Undisruptable, Host of The Innovation Show and Innovation Show, keynote speaker, and Thinkers50 Innovation Award winner.

📚 Resources & Links

• Strategyzer → https://www.strategyzer.com

• Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Reshapes the Knowledge Economy → https://amzn.to/3HWwj1I

• Platform Revolution → https://amzn.to/4mBq2aQ

• Sangeet's Substack → https://substack.com/@platforms/posts

• Howard's Substack → https://howardyu.substack.com

• Aidan's show notes → https://thethursdaythought.substack.com

• Undisruptable → https://amzn.to/4pCEhgH

💡 About Our Sponsor: Kyndryl

Kyndryl designs, runs, and reimagines the mission-critical technology systems that power the world's largest organisations. Their AI-powered consulting and unmatched managed services help leaders make smarter decisions, accelerate innovation, and build enduring competitive advantage. Learn more at Kyndryl.com.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with world-leading thinkers on AI, strategy, reinvention, and organisational transformation.

Mastering Chaos: Navigating the BANI Future with Bob Johansen & Jamais Cascio

🎙️ Episode Title: Mastering Chaos: Navigating the BANI Future

👥 Guests: Bob Johansen & Jamais Cascio

💡 Sponsored by: Kyndryl | Reimagining the tech systems powering global enterprise innovation.

In this episode, Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio return to explore their book Navigating the Age of Chaos: A Sensemaking Guide to a BANI World.

They dive into the evolution from VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) to BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) and its impact on leadership, strategy, and personal resilience.

🔍 Topics Include:

The origins and future of VUCA and BANI

VUCA+ and BANI+ frameworks

Real-world examples: LEGO, Netflix, Special Olympics, Airbnb

Leadership agility & "Flexive Command"

Future-back thinking and anticipatory history

AI, ethics, empathy & strategic foresight

Purpose, interconnectedness & sensemaking

This episode is essential for leaders, innovators, and future-thinkers navigating today's complex and chaotic world.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:24 Opening Quote and Guest Introduction

00:59 Understanding VUCA and VUCA Plus

04:36 Exploring BANI and BANI Plus

06:37 Future Back Thinking and Historical Patterns

09:33 The Concept of Flexive Command

11:01 Resilience and Bendability in Organizations

25:59 Empathy and Anxiety in Leadership

39:52 Debating AI and Guardrails

40:47 Ethics and Metaphors in AI

41:57 Kate Darling's Perspective on AI

43:31 The Language of AI

43:59 Robotics and Empathy

45:51 Mindfulness and Anxiety

47:18 Nonlinearity in BANI

48:04 Neuro Flexibility and Improv

50:40 Orthogonal Thinking and T-shaped People

53:17 Distant Early Warnings

59:50 Gaming and Nonlinear Thinking

01:09:30 Incomprehensibility and Interconnectedness

01:16:45 Faith and Purpose in a BANI World

01:20:45 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

🔗 Useful links:

• Navigating the Age of Chaos – ageofbani.com

• Bob Johansen – IFTF.org

• Jamais Cascio – openthefuture.com

• Kyndryl Institute – kyndryl.com/institute

• Aidan McCullen – aidanmccullen.com

#TheInnovationShow #BANI #VUCA #Leadership #FutureThinking #Chaos #Resilience #Innovation #Kyndryl #Thinkers50

Episode Summary:

In Part 1 of this two-episode series, Aidan McCullen is joined by futurists Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio, co-authors of Navigating the Age of Chaos: A Sensemaking Guide to a BANI World That Doesn't Make Sense. The trio unpacks the BANI Framework — Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible — and explores how it helps us make sense of a world where traditional models like VUCA no longer apply.

Discover how anxiety, complexity, systemic fragility, and incomprehensible change are reshaping our lives and futures — and what we can do to adapt and thrive in the face of it all.

Key Discussion Points:

From VUCA to BANI: Why old models fail

System fragility and the myth of stability

Psychological burnout in the age of anxiety

Non-linear risk and delayed cause-effect dynamics

Incomprehensibility and the collapse of trust in truth

Links & Resources:

🌐 Book: Navigating the Age of Chaos – https://ageofbani.com

📘 Bob Johansen – https://www.iftf.org

🧠 Jamais Cascio – https://www.openthefuture.com

🎙️ Sponsored by Kyndryl – https://kyndryl.com

🎓 Host and Irish Keynote Speaker Aidan McCullen and The Innovation Show is the first podcast to be recognised by Thinkers50, the global ranking body for management thinkers.

https://aidanmccullen.com

For those wondering what the anime mentioned by Jamais is: One Piece, in particular the group in the series called the "Straw Hat Pirates."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Piece_(1999_TV_series)

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/05/nx-s1-5560980/gen-z-protesters-one-piece-pirate-flag

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:21 Reflecting on the Decade: 2015-2025

01:41 Introducing the B.A.N.I. Framework

02:24 Meet the Authors: Bob Johansen and Jamais Cascio

04:29 The Evolution from VUCA to BANI

16:18 Understanding Brittle in BANI

30:14 Exploring Anxious in BANI

37:03 Alan Watts and the Timeless Nature of Anxiety

38:18 Resilience in the Face of Extinction

39:30 The Persistent Relevance of VUCA

39:52 The Unique Challenges of BANI

41:13 Interconnected Crises and Their Compounding Effects

44:30 The Participatory Panopticon and Surveillance

49:28 Non-Linearity and Climate Hysteresis

01:00:23 Stochastic Terrorism and Its Implications

01:02:44 Incomprehensibility in a BANI World

01:10:37 Conclusion and Further Resources

Coming Soon:

👉 Part 2: BANI Plus – Flipping the Framework Positive

On this episode of The Innovation Show, we welcome Chuck House, serial intrapreneur, author of Permission Denied, and former executive at Hewlett-Packard.

Chuck shares hard-won lessons from inside one of the world's most influential tech companies—revealing what it really takes to innovate from within. From helping pioneer the first commercial computer graphics display to earning HP's only-ever Medal of Defiance, Chuck's story is both a cautionary tale and a masterclass in intrapreneurial resilience.

Hosted by Aidan McCullen, Thinkers50 Award recipient for Innovation and keynote speaker based in Ireland.

🎧 Highlights include:

• Surviving and thriving as an intrapreneur

• Navigating organisational resistance

• Why engineers must meet customers

• Leadership in uncertain times

• Insights for today's innovation leaders

📖 Get Chuck's book: Permission Denied: Odyssey of an Intrapreneur:

https://amzn.to/3Xq2LxC

🌐 More on Aidan: www.aidanmccullen.com

In this thought-provoking episode, Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show — welcomes Samuel Arbesman, scientist, author, and polymath, for the grand finale of their trilogy.

Together, they explore The Magic of Code: How Digital Language Created and Connects Our World, diving deep into how code shapes our understanding of reality — from biology and evolution to artificial intelligence and the simulation hypothesis.

Discover how code is the new DNA, the universal language linking art, philosophy, and technology, and why rekindling curiosity, humility, and wonder is essential in our age of machines.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:18 The Power and Mystery of Code

01:33 Guest Introduction: Samuel Arbesman

02:26 The Magic of Code: Themes and Inspirations

03:53 Rekindling Wonder in Computing

11:01 Biology and Computation: A Deep Dive

14:43 Artificial Life and Evolution in Computing

24:17 Emergent Behavior and Evolutionary Contingency

28:28 Simulation Hypothesis: Reality as a Program

29:30 The Complexity of Digital Simulations

30:35 Weather Prediction and Simplified Models

32:00 The Physicality of Computing

33:17 The Simulation Hypothesis

39:05 The Role of Language in AI

44:09 Humanity and Technology

47:39 The Future of Technology and Society

57:00 Final Thoughts on Humility and Curiosity

In This Episode

• The connection between code, language, and human creativity

• How biology and computation mirror one another

• Artificial life, evolution, and digital ecosystems

• The simulation hypothesis: Are we living in code?

• The importance of humility, restraint, and curiosity in an AI-driven world

Guest: Samuel Arbesman — Author of The Magic of Code, The Half-Life of Facts, and Overcomplicated

🔗 Find Sam: https://arbesman.net

Host: Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, international thought leader on change and reinvention, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show, a globally acclaimed and Thinkers50-recognised podcast inspiring leaders to thrive through change.

A former international rugby player, Aidan now helps organisations and leaders adapt and evolve in an age of exponential transformation.

Get Sam's Book: https://amzn.to/3Xb8abN

Find the Innovation show: https://thethursdaythought.substack.com