Alex Nesbitt

Executive & Team Coach

Breathing Life Into Strategy

By | Effectiveness, Strategy

Hey Luck Hackers,

In today’s newsletter, I’m revisiting the iconic showdown between Nokia and Apple in the smartphone arena. But this isn’t just a story of technological triumphs and missteps. It’s a tale that challenges the simplistic notion of Apple’s brilliance and Nokia’s folly.

I’m going to share a story of the triumph of enaction over execution and reveal a deeper truth about strategic approaches. It’s about understanding the difference between merely executing a strategy and enacting one – breathing life into it, infusing it with energy that begins to attract more, creating a self-sustaining system, a flywheel of innovation and adaptability.

As I unravel the events that shaped the destinies of these tech giants, I will share lessons about strategy that are applicable far beyond the realms of smartphones and technology. It’s a lesson about the importance of a strategy that’s not just planned but also lived and evolved, and how this approach can be a game-changer.

The Beginning of the Battle

Let me take you back to 2007 and a crowded auditorium filled with tech enthusiasts, media, and Apple fans. The anticipation was almost electric. This was no ordinary product launch. It was a moment that would redefine an entire industry.

Halfway across the globe, in Finland, the executives of Nokia, the reigning champions of the mobile phone market, watched closely. With a legacy of innovation and a near-monopoly in mobile technology, Nokia was the Goliath of its time – a titan in an industry it had helped create and shape.

But in Cupertino, California, a different story was unfolding. Apple, known for its easy-to-use Macs and the incredibly popular iPod, was venturing into unfamiliar territory. Apple had changed how we listen to music, but could it redefine how we communicate?

As Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone, a device that seamlessly combined a phone, an iPod, and an internet communicator, the tech world held its breath. Here was Apple, an underdog in the mobile phone space, challenging the giant with a bold new vision. This wasn’t just a new product; it was the birth of a new era.

For me, this was fascinating to watch. I met Steve Jobs in the early 1980s, and he shared his vision of a personal navigator that would change how we live. Apple had tried and failed once before with the Newton (BTW, which I quickly bought and found almost useless.) Would this time be different? Would his decades-old vision finally come to life?

And what made it even more interesting to me was my relationship with Nokia. At the time, I supplied Nokia’s leading-edge phones with all of their podcast data through some technology I had built as a hobby project. Here I was watching Apple take on Nokia, and I felt like I had a front-row seat.

Rewind to the Early 2000s

The mobile phone industry was dominated by functional devices more prized for their reliability and battery life than their aesthetics or innovation. Enter Nokia, a company that had not just survived but thrived in this space, known for nearly indestructible phones with batteries that lasted for days.

The people at Nokia were brilliant engineers. And Nokia’s vision was groundbreaking.

They foresaw a world where phones were more than just tools for communication – they were multimedia devices.

Nokia began experimenting, blending traditional mobile technology with features like music players, color screens, and even cameras. They were not just making phones; they were creating the first smartphones.

In contrast, Apple’s domain was personal computing and digital music. The iPod revolutionized how people listened to music. Yet, in the realm of mobile phones, they were outsiders. It was a market dominated by established players like Nokia.

But beneath the surface, a different kind of innovation was brewing in Apple’s design labs. They were envisioning a device that could do what no other phone had done before – a device that was intuitive, beautiful, and a joy to use. This was more than a product; it was a mission to redefine the very essence of connectivity in the digital age.

The stage was set for a clash of philosophies and visions. On one side, Nokia, the giant, confident in its path and its dominion over the mobile world. On the other, Apple, the challenger, armed with a vision to disrupt and redefine. The battle lines were drawn, not just in technology but in how technology would be brought to life in the hands of users worldwide.

Nokia HQ – Espoo, Finland

The people at Nokia were excited about the future. Their strategy was bold and forward-thinking: to transform the mobile phone into an all-encompassing device.

Nokia envisioned a world where their phones were the center of everyone’s digital life – a hub for not just calls and texts, but also music, photography, and even internet browsing.

They had a deep understanding of mobile telecommunications and methodical engineering culture. They built devices that were technologically superior, boasting features that were unheard of at the time. High-resolution cameras, color screens, sophisticated music players – Nokia’s phones were turning into multimedia powerhouses.

Their software, however, was where they truly intended to innovate. Symbian, the operating system Nokia chose to power its smartphones, was robust and capable. The idea was revolutionary: an open platform where third-party developers could build applications, turning the phone into a customizable tool for every user.

It was a strategy that, at a high level, seemed almost identical to Apple’s vision.

As part of my relationship with Nokia, one of the executives sent me some of their high-end smartphones, including an N95.

The N95 was a technical marvel. It was a compact device with a high-resolution camera, vivid color screen, full internet access, apps for every kind of media, including podcasts, and an app store with more third-party apps.

But while the device was filled with capabilities, it felt clunky. The specific problem was the button you used to control the mouse. You moved through the screen bit by bit, horizontally and vertically, by pushing the button one way or the other.

Nokia’s focus on execution – on delivering a technologically advanced phone had overshadowed the need for simplicity and ease of use.

Apple HQ – Cupertino, CA

While the strategy might have been very similar, Jobs and the crew envisioned something very different.

Apple’s entry into the smartphone market was not just about adding features to a phone; it was about redefining what a phone could be.

The iPhone was conceived not as a device but as an experience – one that seamlessly integrated hardware, software, and services.

Apple’s strategy hinged on a few key principles: simplicity, elegance, and user experience. The iPhone, with its sleek design and single button, was a stark contrast to the feature-laden models of its competitors. It was more than just a phone (and in fact, it was a terrible phone); it was a statement of simplicity in an increasingly complex world.

The real game-changer was the combination of the multi-touch screen, which eliminated the need for a mouse button, and iOS, the operating system designed for the iPhone. The combination was a masterclass in intuitive design.

Apple envisioned and enacted an ecosystem where hardware, software, and services were deeply intertwined. The App Store, a marketplace for third-party applications, was not just an add-on; it was a fundamental part of the iPhone experience. It was a platform that empowered developers and provided users with an ever-expanding array of capabilities.

As Nokia continued to push the boundaries of what a phone could contain, Apple focused on what a phone could enable.

This distinction would become increasingly significant. Apple’s vision was not confined to executing a predefined strategy; it was an evolving journey, guided by the power of simplicity to create a compelling user experience.

The Battle

As the mid-2000s progressed, the smartphone market became a battleground of ideologies. On one front, Nokia, armed with its technological prowess, continued to release devices that were marvels of engineering. Their phones boasted the latest in mobile technology – but beneath the sheen of innovation, there were signs of strain. The user experience was complex, and the operating system, while powerful, was not evolving at the pace of consumer expectations. Nokia’s execution, unwavering in its course, began to show its limitations.

Apple, in contrast, was swiftly gaining ground.

The iPhone, with each iteration, became more than just a product – it was a phenomenon. The simplicity of its design, the intuitiveness of iOS, and the burgeoning ecosystem of apps created an unparalleled user experience. Apple’s strategy was dynamic, responsive to consumer feedback, and unafraid to evolve. This was strategic enaction in its purest form – a strategy that was not rigidly executed but organically grown.

The market’s response was telling.

Consumers were drawn to the iPhone’s ease of use and the lifestyle it represented. Developers flocked to the App Store, enticed by the prospects of making bucket loads of money from a platform that was rapidly growing in popularity. Apple had not just entered the smartphone market; it was redefining it.

The Tipping Point

The late 2000s marked a turning point in the smartphone saga.

Nokia, once the unchallenged leader, struggled to keep pace with a market that was rapidly evolving. Their strategy, focused on execution, failed to adapt to the changing tides. The world they had envisioned – where phones were technologically advanced multimedia devices – had come to fruition, but it was Apple’s vision that captured the public’s imagination.

The iPhone had become more than a success; it was a cultural icon.

It redefined what people expected from their phones, shifting the focus from what the device could hold to what it could do – and how easily it could do it. Apple’s strategy was not static; it was a living, breathing entity that grew with its users.

The impact was profound. Nokia’s market share began to decline, and the company found itself in uncharted waters. It was a stark reminder of the brutal truth of the technology industry: innovation is not just about what you create; it’s about how you bring it to life.

In this crucial phase, the distinction between execution and enaction became clear.

Execution, while important, was insufficient in a market driven by user experience and rapid innovation. Enaction – the ability to adapt, evolve, and resonate with users – was the key to survival and success.

The Key Lesson for Strategy

The contrasting fates of Nokia and Apple in the smartphone market reveal a key lesson for strategists.

The critical difference lay not in their strategic vision but in their approach to bringing that vision to life.

Nokia, with its focus on execution, adhered to a pre-set plan, emphasizing technological advancement and feature integration.

Apple, on the other hand, embraced enaction, allowing its strategy to be shaped by user experience, market feedback, and an evolving digital landscape.

This lesson transcends beyond a mere business case study; it’s a narrative about adaptability in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.

Apple’s success with the iPhone demonstrates the power of a strategy that is alive, one that grows and adapts. It shows how businesses can thrive by not just executing plans but by continuously reshaping them in response to the shifting sands of market demands and consumer expectations.

Conclusion

As I look towards the future, the lessons from Nokia and Apple’s journeys remain more relevant than ever. In an age where technology and consumer preferences change at an unprecedented pace, the ability to enact a living strategy, one that evolves and adapts, is crucial.

Perhaps, in the future, we will witness another twist in this tale – a new player, a disruptive technology, or an unexpected shift in consumer behavior. The cycle of innovation and competition continues, and with it, the need for strategy that is not just executed but enacted – living, breathing, and evolving with the world.

Until next time, be enactive; Be someone who happens to the world.

Best,

Alex

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