In this episode, Francis Gorman speaks with Aidan McCullen, host of "The Innovation Show" and author of "Undisruptible", about reinvention, innovation, and what real change demands. Aidan reflects on his journey from professional rugby to becoming one of Ireland’s leading voices on transformation, sharing lessons from injury, identity, curiosity, and hundreds of conversations with world-class thinkers.

Together, they explore why people and companies often wait until crisis hits before adapting, why superficial change rarely works, and why mental models must shift before business models can. From Nokia’s failure to respond to the iPhone to the personal grief of letting go of an old identity, this conversation is about preparing for change before it is forced upon you and finding the resilience to build what comes next.

Key Topics:

• The importance of mental models in change
• The analogy of the caterpillar and butterfly in transformation
• The role of curiosity in innovation
• Lessons from Nokia's decline and failure to adapt
• The concept of creative destruction and proactive change

Sound Bytes:

"You can't waterboard a horse."
"Snow always melts from the edges."
"You can't force a horse to water."

You can find Aidan's book here: https://www.kennys.ie/shop/-9781119770480