Pandemics, pivots and patience: John Chen of BlackBerry on adapting to change

Speaking of Business with Goldy Hyder

If there’s one word business leaders have heard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s “pivot.”

John Chen knows it better than many.

Long before the pandemic, BlackBerry’s Executive Chairman and CEO led the storied Canadian company through what he calls “a 180-degree flip” – from a hardware-centric business to a software-focused one.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Chen shares his experience and advice on adapting to change.

For Chen, lesson number one is the need for patience. Major transformations, he says, often take longer than expected.

He also emphasizes the need to focus on the end goal: “If you keep pivoting without a central theme, you definitely are going to fail.”

Listen to John Chen’s conversation with Goldy Hyder, in which they also discuss talent, risk-taking, and why pagers were once seen as a “badge of honour.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/