Analysis of the film “Who Killed BlackBerry”
Hello! I’m Denis Kuzmin, an expert on emotional intelligence. In 11 years of soft skills training and 650+ hours of business coaching experience, I’ve seen all kinds of emotions that stop the transition from recruiter to founder. The good news: you don’t have to delve into them if you correct exactly one attitude – a sense of basic well-being.
The biopic about the three founders of BlackBerry is an unexpectedly accurate test of his level. Try to recognize yourself in one of his heroes. I’ll hide my comments under the cut: what everyone’s behavior says, what consequences it leads to, and what can be done to turn weakness into super strength.
Imagine that you are the CEO of BlackBerry. Your devices are sold in 120 countries and used by 9 million people. The company’s capitalization is $42 billion. You are called from an unknown number. Which character and which reaction do you prefer?
Jim
Jim is one of the co-founders of BlackBerry. Considers it important to establish processes and hierarchy in the company. On his first day of work, he hires a personal secretary and finds a separate office for himself. He continues to wear a tie, a crisp white shirt and an expensive suit. Jim doesn’t care that he’s at a startup where they wear alcoholic T-shirts and the whole team works in one room. Jim works the way only he sees fit. Business is growing. A few years later, Jim is a billionaire with a private jet and his own stadium in anticipation of the purchase of a hockey club.
The secretary tells him about a call from an unfamiliar number, but Jim does not consider it necessary to waste time. The assistant does not answer the phone – as the boss ordered.
Causes
Jim needs the trappings of status so much that he moves forward with the persistence of a tank to get them. He chooses a startup where they will listen to him and does whatever he wants: a secretary, a separate office. Subsequently, a personal plane, own stadium.
There is nothing wrong with all this, except for the pain with which Jim treats his status. He seems to be conveying “everything is ok with me if I have a secretary, an office, and everything that is appropriate for a person of my level.” In another place and time, this list might read “raspberry jacket and gold chain.” A more relaxed attitude towards demonstrating status through clothing is usually called old money. These are truly rich people and they don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Sometimes this is how people try to compensate, for example, for poverty in childhood. The problem is that it’s like filling a bottomless barrel – it’s not possible. Physical objects don’t patch emotional holes. You have to increase the dose and to get more and more status symbols, people take risks. Risk is part of any business. It’s okay to take risks if the risk does not allow the person and the world around him.
Jim is the head of a successful company with a colossal capitalization and growth of thousands of percent per year. His status is not in danger. But Jim’s inner feeling tells a different story and pushes him in pursuit of new physical symbols of “I’m ok.” He is not interested in long-term business development strategy or pressing issues with competitors. He needs to show his toughness by humiliating the other guy by buying a hockey club.
Our hero makes decisions and acts because “I am powerful and I will prove that everything is ok with me.” The nuance is that Jim does not feel truly strong or prosperous and therefore constantly proves both. Jim – actually feels weak, but pretends to be strong by not picking up the phone from that number multiple times.
Consequences:
Money
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People with this behavior can be financially successful because in most societies it is not acceptable to be aggressive. Jim is willing to take advantage of others’ suppressive behavior and solves problems with it. For him, this is an automatic reaction, and not a consciously chosen strategy. At the initial stage of the company’s development, it moved the company, but after that it became destructive. Ultimately, because of decisions made out of a sense of disadvantage, Jim lost the most money of anyone.
Health
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In the final scenes, Jim has no control over himself. He has fits of anger over and over again; Jim cannot control himself. This is a direct path to a heart attack or stroke. Instead of calmly dealing with the real causes of the problems, he yells at the people around him. These are the behaviors of a person who feels powerless—as if he were a helpless child. Even while in a hospital bed, such people say: “Well, how can I stop worrying about my wife/children/company…”. The variables may be different, but such people increase their own pressure and cannot stop.
Relationship
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At the very beginning of the film, Jim sits alone and drinks. It is difficult to maintain long-term relationships with such explosive behavior. Men with an internal feeling of not being okay in a relationship are not looking for intimacy, but for proof of their coolness. A woman for them is the same attribute of status. She should be younger, prettier, slimmer than other guys. They can be jealous; they perceive sex not as intimacy between two people, but as proof of their high level. Tend to create codependent relationships.
What can be changed
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This behavior is beneficial because it gives a lot of energy for achievements. This is useful for a startup, but creates “blindness” of perception. If it is not overcome, the project falls apart. When people with similar life strategies come to me for consultation, we discuss how to strengthen their sense of inner well-being. The simplest thing is to create the feeling at the level of experience: “Everything is okay with me, I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Regardless of the situation, I am safe and can handle any situation.” We plan how to shift the focus from attributes of personal significance to self-worth; from external assessment to self-assessment; from proving to others to creating great products and building a company. Sometimes we build strategies with goals outside of life. Then ambitions and energy shift from proving its importance to constructive solutions.
Mike
Mike is a key founder of the company. He is the originator of the idea, a fanatical engineer and an introvert. He strives to avoid any uncomfortable situations. Instead of preparing for a presentation, he repairs the intercom. Instead of solving the team’s problems, he closes himself in his office and delegates this function. At the same time, he loses contact with employees.
Mike doesn’t want to answer a call from an unknown number, but he hesitates. The reluctance to communicate is overpowered by the anxious thought “what if something important happens.” Mike picks up the phone. It turns out that he is being asked about something unpleasant that he does not want to understand. The hero refuses the offer of a securities agent who wanted to come and personally clarify the situation and hangs up.
Causes
Mike’s reaction is fear. In the photo we see a tense face, raised eyebrows. When he hears difficult questions and warnings about unpleasant consequences, he hangs up. Mike can’t handle the emotional pressure.
Mike demonstrates an avoidance strategy. Instead of solving the problem in the early stages, when the consequences are minimal, he chooses to live as if there are no problems. Mike is a talented technician, but in a difficult conversation he feels weak compared to his interlocutor. And he chooses the “run or hide” strategy. The hero repeats the choice he once made over and over again. Mike has become incredibly rich and powerful, but he still feels weaker than before. And every time he goes into avoidance.
There are several types of “okayness positions” in communications. Here are two of them:
The feeling of basic well-being is formed from 3 to 7 years. If it has been formed successfully, a person makes decisions relying on his knowledge, skills, and ability to influence. A sense of your own well-being is the foundation of communication. If this is not the case, then a person, even with colossal intelligence and resources, acts as if he were a 5-year-old child among adults.
A person with the perception “I’m not ok, they’re ok” shifts the responsibility of making decisions to the one who is nearby. First on parents, teachers, then on managers and family partners. A person sincerely believes that they know better how to do it, because they are ok. And he is weak, inexperienced, and incompetent. He relies on their will; I consider my own willpower not sufficient.
Mike feels his “not-okayness” and this manifests itself in the feeling “the one who is nearby is stronger, knows how to do better.” In the beginning, this place was taken by childhood friend and business partner, Doug. Then Doug was replaced by an even stronger one – the third co-founder, Jim, who came into the business. Mike is not aware of his strategies and therefore does not connect them with consequences. Therefore, the choice of the usual behavior pattern will be repeated. It’s like a piece of software code. Until another one is written, the old code causes the same type of behavior – Mike feels weak, asks other adults to do everything for him, and hides in the design. Later, when his office appears, he hides in it.
Consequences:
Money
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Mike is afraid to resist the manipulations of his only client; he is ready to agree to any conditions, just so as not to experience discomfort from communication again. Therefore, Mike agreed to the absolutely unprofitable offer of the tough Jim to join the management of the company. In essence, he handed over to Jim control of his brainchild, and with it a significant part of his life. Which will ultimately result in financial losses. Mike doesn’t get investment because he doesn’t care about getting money in investor presentations, but wants to get approval for his talent. This means confirming your own okayness. Without external evaluation, Mike does not feel it.
Health
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The anxiety Mike lives with prevents him from enjoying life. At the beginning of the film, the anxiety “seems to be justified.” It is in quotation marks, because people with a feeling of “not-okayness” always find justification for their disturbing emotions. Indeed, there is a direct threat to Mike’s brainchild, the meaning of his life – there is no money for development, the client, like a pirate, took $1.6 million. But when the company took off and Mike became rich, the habit of worrying remained. Constant anxiety means elevated cortisol levels over a long period of time. There are plenty of possible unpleasant health consequences. For Mike, we see completely gray hair before the age of 40. Over time, Mike becomes increasingly exhausted and has less and less control over his emotions. We see how it becomes easier for him to scream when communicating with people. Hyper-emotionality is another sign of a child’s position. it can be described as “when I can’t cope, I scream.”
Relationship
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Unpreparedness to face complex issues and reluctance to understand legal issues open up space for the actions of fraudsters who will act in their own interests. Often they can also aggressively defend themselves: “Well, I tried for you, I did this for your good!” Willingness to endure, not defending your boundaries, not talking about your needs and not achieving results from clients and subordinates always leads to negative consequences for the founder. If an entrepreneur is not ready to face the threat, then he is not able to cope with it. And the benefits accrue to those who are ready to solve the problem. This is how Mike loses his old faithful friend, Doug. And new people nearby just use Mike. Such men can become victims of women who see them not as a husband – a relationship partner, but as a source of resources. Because of their soft behavior, women may stop respecting them. Such unions often end in betrayal, divorce, manipulation of children, and complex division of property, most often earned by the man.
What can be changed
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To cultivate the part of the psyche that is responsible for the feeling of well-being, it is useful to shape the experience by showing the brain that there is in fact no threat. For example, in negotiations with any person – no matter what he is – tall, big, bald, with a beard. And no matter how he behaved – he shouted, remained silent, looked intently into the eyes, tore the paper. Here’s a feeling you can strive for: “At the negotiating table, I feel safe and can talk about my needs. I may not make decisions right away. I can create new arrangements if I deem it necessary. I am mature enough and competent enough to solve all the issues that I face.” This way, time after time, self-confidence will appear, a feeling of personal strength that can cope with any situation. A growing sense of inner well-being leads to a willingness to independently ensure one’s safety. A person will be ready to consciously overcome discomfort, delve into legal subtleties, and read the papers he signs. And if there are not enough competencies, then without guilt or fear he finds consultants who can explain the consequences and accompany the transaction.
Doug
Doug is the co-founder of the company. He’s a typical startup guy in a T-shirt, shorts and a headband. That’s how he remains when he turns into a billionaire. Doug also plays a key role as an entrepreneur – building a team. He supports Mike in difficult moments throughout the film. He persuades the team to work at night. Only he is able to unite it to solve technical problems at critical moments. Only he is involved in building a corporate culture and maintaining traditions.
Doug sees a call from an unknown number and picks up without thinking. Securities agency? Okay, how can I help? He calmly listens, enters into dialogue and perceives the information he needs.
Causes
The hero is sure that nothing threatens him. He feels like the one who influences the situation. Such people are said to have a sense of basic well-being. Doug is the only one of the main characters in the film who feels okay regardless of the situation. He is open to new things, collects information and uses it for his own purposes. This is the most adult position possible. Only with her can you truly take responsibility.
The sense of internal well-being is normally formed in early childhood. The child does not remain in deficit for a long time and feels that his needs are being met and the world is a cozy place. Later this transforms into the feeling of “trusting myself that I can handle any situation. I am ok and they are ok. No one attacks me, even if the conversation is raised. I am willing to stand up for my boundaries while respecting the boundaries and interests of others.”
Consequences
Money
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Throughout the film, Doug displays the maximum range of soft skills. He shows openness, empathy, and listens to people with interest. Doug cannot stand strong emotions and he remains calm, notices all the details of the conversation, uses them and sees opportunities. Powerful emotions turn off cognitive abilities. In response to a call from the Securities Agency, the emotions of Doug’s partners went wild. Jim was so angry at the very fact of the call from an unfamiliar number that he forbade the secretary to answer the phone. Mike was afraid and, without finishing speaking, hung up. Doug listened calmly and took advantage of the information. Only his brain connected many factors together: the entry of the iPhone into the market, Mike and Jim’s unwillingness to take this into account, constant corporate conflicts. And he decided to sell his shares at the peak of their value, becoming one of the richest people in the world
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Health
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Doug is cheerful, cheerful and looks happy. He does what he loves and enjoys it. The hero has many social connections – in the company, Doug finds a language with developers and managers. Emotional swings are not typical for him. This is the result of an adult attitude, a sense of basic well-being and an “I’m ok” attitude.
Relationship
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Doug acts as if the people around him are his friends, unless they prove otherwise. He is comfortable with people in this world, he will not attack or defend himself in response to far-fetched threats. Thanks to the fact that Doug is not limited to survival mode due to strong emotions, he sees that Jim is dangerous with his linearity, and Mike is leading the company to collapse without seeing any competitors. Doug is already okay, he does not seek to win the favor of other people, but draws conclusions and makes decisions based on the perception of reality, and not desired emotions. This is an adult position. This is the basis for responsibility.
What can be changed
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If someone like Doug had a request to work with a coach, it would most likely be about new projects and building effective teams. For example, how to create a culture in which KPIs are met every month, or there is a request for better teams, better leaders. This problem cannot be solved by turning on a switch inside the psyche. It is created through reflection, when a person searches for his own answers to questions. For example, these:
Who am I? Who am I really?
What am I doing?
Who am I doing this for?
How do people change as a result of interacting with me? With my product?
What do I want to pass on to my children and future generations? 4. What do people really want and need from me?
What am I doing and do I want to do it if today is my last day?
Conclusion
The film can be perceived as a metaphor. When people get down to business with different unconscious goals, then everyone gets their own. There is a phrase: “What I have is my goal.” Children don’t need money. They need external confirmation and attention. Adults need money. That’s what the heroes got.
If you analyze the decision-making strategies, the ending is quite predictable. Some variations in the scale of the results are possible. But in general, the vector is always set by the behavior of the heroes and the result is calculated.
As a rule, when people gather in one place and doubt that they are okay, complex actions begin aimed at gaining emotions, attention, and a feeling of being okay. The goal of the “game” is never to achieve a business result.
You can check if you feel okay using a test, the link to it is at the end of the article. The test consists of 27 questions that highlight how well a person feels “okay” in three areas:
Self-worth — belief in one’s own worth and significance, untied from the assessments and expectations of others. Includes an internal, stable, and positive view of oneself, not subject to significant fluctuations depending on external factors. Self-worth is important when launching your project, because society tends to reduce the importance of new products and the founder for some time has to go against the opinion of the majority, relying on his own faith in the product.
Motivation – a psychophysiological process that controls human behavior, setting its direction, activity and stability. Successful implementation of a startup requires focused activity over a long period of time. The likelihood of a successful launch decreases if the founder does not understand his motivation, it is blurred or falls when it encounters opposition. Investors also pay attention to the “energy” of the team – that is, its level of motivation.
Strategy – a non-detailed plan for a long period, describes a way to achieve a complex goal. To achieve it, a large amount of psychic energy is required. This is a person’s faith in an idea, an understanding of the mission and the deep personal meaning of life. The strategy is decomposed into tactics – a detailed plan of daily actions. This order allows you to move steadily towards your goal and cope with the obstacles you encounter.
The result of the test is an infographic in which the sectors “Self-worth”, “Motivation” and “Strategy” are divided into components and highlighted depending on the answers:
Green – “okayness” is fully felt.
Yellow – does not always appear, depending on the circumstances.
Red – “neokeyness” is more often experienced. You may react emotionally rather than be proactive.
