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Against All Odds: Leading Nokia from Near Catastrophe to Global Success
In this compelling memoir, Nokia's legendary CEO Jorma Ollila presents a riveting account of the inner workings of the company that created the global mobile revolution. CEO from 1992 to 2006, Ollila led Nokia from near catastrophe to become the world's leading mobile phone manufacturer. He built a company where visionary thinking and courageous decisions were combined with exceptional creativity and first-rate engineering, leading to phenomenal growth.
Follow Ollila's personal and professional journey, where you'll learn about the fine line between stratospheric success and disastrous failure. His stories are filled with lessons about the nature of leadership, the importance of shared values, and the need for strategic thinking.
Ollila offers a uniquely clear picture of life as a CEO, with many insights into how business is conducted at the highest levels. He is especially upfront about working with his executive and management teams as well as encounters with figures such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and George Soros. He offers poignant as well as illuminating stories of hair-raising risks and huge successes, but also of poor judgment and bad decision-making.
Follow Ollila's personal and professional journey, where you'll learn about the fine line between stratospheric success and disastrous failure. His stories are filled with lessons about the nature of leadership, the importance of shared values, and the need for strategic thinking.
Ollila offers a uniquely clear picture of life as a CEO, with many insights into how business is conducted at the highest levels. He is especially upfront about working with his executive and management teams as well as encounters with figures such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and George Soros. He offers poignant as well as illuminating stories of hair-raising risks and huge successes, but also of poor judgment and bad decision-making.
- GenresNonfiction
400 pages, Hardcover
Published September 13, 2016
7 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 20, 2017
You need to be interested in the rise and fall of Nokia to want to read this book...there's not much of a personal touch to it. Ollila left shortly before the launch of the iPhone which signaled the fall of Nokia's phone business.
A lot went right during Ollila's tenure and the Nokia team overcame tremendous obstacles - and he always gives the rest of the team and organization credit for that in his book. Unfortunately he is very light on the problems that occurred once he stepped down from the CEO role (he remained Chairman). If you're looking for an inside analysis of what went wrong - as well as right -it isn't here.
A lot went right during Ollila's tenure and the Nokia team overcame tremendous obstacles - and he always gives the rest of the team and organization credit for that in his book. Unfortunately he is very light on the problems that occurred once he stepped down from the CEO role (he remained Chairman). If you're looking for an inside analysis of what went wrong - as well as right -it isn't here.
December 20, 2018
I picked up this book because I wanted to understand the role of Nokia in Finnish business and society. In Estonia, we are still referring to "...looking for our Nokia", as it is just a good idea or a sudden business opportunity.
This book explained that in the case of Nokia itself, it was more about a row of smart (and long-term) business decisions and well-crafted strategies. I happened to read it in parallel with a Business Strategies course in my MBA-studies. It was really helpful because it helped to link several theoretical concepts with Ollila´s work and Nokia´s development.
However, I believe that Nokia itself was not led as a book example - and this actually brought them success. At that time, Finns were bold and moving fast. The moment they slowed down, Apple and others rushed past them. But what stays, is an excellent knowledge of 2 generations of engineers and business leaders that Nokia gave Finland.
Contrary to Ollila himself, I tend to believe that there will be no second coming for Nokia as it was. But, it is probably good. At the best time, Nokia contributed 4% to Finland´s GDP. But I am confident that in some years, the total share of all the Nokia planted seeds (tech, alumni, mindset, confidence, etc.) will be much higher than that.
This book explained that in the case of Nokia itself, it was more about a row of smart (and long-term) business decisions and well-crafted strategies. I happened to read it in parallel with a Business Strategies course in my MBA-studies. It was really helpful because it helped to link several theoretical concepts with Ollila´s work and Nokia´s development.
However, I believe that Nokia itself was not led as a book example - and this actually brought them success. At that time, Finns were bold and moving fast. The moment they slowed down, Apple and others rushed past them. But what stays, is an excellent knowledge of 2 generations of engineers and business leaders that Nokia gave Finland.
Contrary to Ollila himself, I tend to believe that there will be no second coming for Nokia as it was. But, it is probably good. At the best time, Nokia contributed 4% to Finland´s GDP. But I am confident that in some years, the total share of all the Nokia planted seeds (tech, alumni, mindset, confidence, etc.) will be much higher than that.
March 20, 2023
Quite self-conglaturatory, seeing as he was a CEO of his country's most successful business, but hey ho. Most of the book is big picture stuff and sitting in offices for all but two hours of his waking existence for about 24 years or so. It's all he did. It paid off, of course, but his mantra is much like Andy Warhol's, which is work work work until you die. Many, as shown in the book, did. He worked and it paid off.
There were a few nuggets of wisdom that I found in this, but otherwise it was more just an explanation of what happened at a surface level regarding management decisions and the slow change of Nokia's priorities and business practices. There is almost nothing at the human level outside of Jorma's life before Nokia and the people in his inner circle. After all, there was nothing in his life other than his work. He doesn't have a single anecdote regarding a regular person at the company which isn't based on when he was giving a speech to them.
It must be very interesting to some groups of people, specifically those who can relate to the burden of immense responsibility. However, again I'm not sure how much wisdom was gleaned from this by a regular joe like me on the first rung of the ladder.
There were a few nuggets of wisdom that I found in this, but otherwise it was more just an explanation of what happened at a surface level regarding management decisions and the slow change of Nokia's priorities and business practices. There is almost nothing at the human level outside of Jorma's life before Nokia and the people in his inner circle. After all, there was nothing in his life other than his work. He doesn't have a single anecdote regarding a regular person at the company which isn't based on when he was giving a speech to them.
It must be very interesting to some groups of people, specifically those who can relate to the burden of immense responsibility. However, again I'm not sure how much wisdom was gleaned from this by a regular joe like me on the first rung of the ladder.
March 2, 2019
Ollila's perspective of Nokia from 90s to 2012.
March 24, 2020
What an ordinary corporate story! Rise and fall....yawn... I was interested in Nokia’s strategy after iPhone swept the market, but I guess I should read another bio of Nokia’s next president...
May 6, 2018
Excellent wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews