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:

00:00 Primal instincts in modern leadership

02:12 Exploring the evolutionary psychology of dominance

04:20 Historic and modern examples of dominance

05:23 Strategies for leaders to overcome the dominance instinct

07:44 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:

Today, we are uncovering the sneakiest cognitive trap that every corporate leader needs to be aware of—the framing trap. I'll walk you through how your brain processes information in ways that skew your decision-making, showing how small shifts in framing can dramatically change outcomes, often for the worse.

We’ll look at real-world examples, such as Kodak’s failure to adapt to Apple’s innovative approach with the iPhone, to reveal the true cost of falling into the framing trap, where decisions are made based on how options are presented rather than the underlying realities.

So, if you're a business leader looking to make better, more informed decisions, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn how to spot the framing trap before it costs you millions. For further insights, order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, and learn how to outsmart cognitive biases.

In this episode:

- Introduction to the framing trap

- The 1981 study: The framing bias in action

- Examples of framing traps in business

- Strategies to overcome the framing bias

- Final thoughts on the framing effect

References:

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. Science185,1124-1131(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://www.jstor.org/stable/1685855

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

As leaders, we’re wired to favor the familiar, but this can blind us to critical shifts in the market and the emergence of disruptive innovations. In today’s episode, we are talking about the confirming evidence trap—a bias that can skew even the sharpest minds, causing you to cling to beliefs and data that reinforce what you already think.

We’ll explore how this evolutionary shortcut leads to costly mistakes and why leaders must confront their assumptions to make better decisions. From Blackberry’s downfall to Nokia’s missed opportunity, we’ll dive into real-world examples of billion-dollar corporate disasters caused by the confirming evidence bias.

Tune in now to learn how to spot and outthink this bias. And if you’re ready to take your leadership to the next level, check out my book, The Mammoth in the Room, where I explore how evolutionary truths can guide better decisions in people, strategy, and implementation.

In this episode:

- Introduction to the confirming evidence trap

- The Blackberry downfall

- Confirming evidence traps in business: The market trap

- The New Coke Disaster case study

- The leadership trap: The Theranos scandal

- The hiring trap: Perfect resume illusion

- How to outthink the confirming evidence bias

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

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

In today’s episode, we uncover yet another dangerous psychological trap that keeps leaders pouring money and resources into failing projects—simply because they’ve already invested too much to walk away. I’m talking about the sunk cost fallacy.

Using examples from history, such as the Concorde jet, Quibi's billion-dollar flop, and Kodak's disastrous delay in embracing digital photography, we'll explore why leaders sometimes double down on doomed investments instead of cutting their losses. I'll also share actionable strategies to recognize and break free from this trap.

Don't let your past investments dictate your future. Tune in to learn how to make smarter decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and lead your business toward success. Plus, be sure to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for a practical roadmap on how great leaders embrace evolutionary truth for outstanding business results.

In this episode:

- Introduction to the sunk cost fallacy

- The Concorde: A case study of sunk costs

- The psychology behind the sunk cost fallacy

- Three dangerous sunk cost traps in business

- Three proven tips to escape the sunk cost trap

References:

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. Science185,1124-1131(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://www.jstor.org/stable/1685855

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences

What if I told you the biggest threat to your business isn’t the competition but your brain? Leaders make costly decisions daily because of one mind trap— the status quo bias. It’s the reason billion-dollar companies collapse, why once-great leaders fail to adapt, and why you might be unknowingly sabotaging your success.

So, today, I take you inside the shocking failures of Kodak, Blockbuster, and Microsoft— companies that refused to adapt, believing that what worked yesterday would work forever. I’ll show you how to spot the status quo bias in your leadership, why your brain resists necessary change, and three battle-tested strategies to break free and make bold, winning decisions.

Don’t let your brain run your business on autopilot. Hit play now for new insights on decision-making biases. And for a deeper dive, grab a copy of my book, The Mammoth in the Room, and discover how to outthink your instincts for exceptional business results.

In this episode:

- Introduction to the status quo bias

- The Kodak story: A giant that refused to move

- Understanding the status quo bias and its evolutionary roots

- Market shift trap: Blockbuster vs. Netflix

- Internal process trap: Microsoft's lost decade

- Personal career trap: Steve Ballmer and mobile revolution

- How to overcome the status quo bias

References:

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. Science185,1124-1131(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://www.jstor.org/stable/1685855

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences