WHERE LEADERS RETHINK HOW STRATEGY WORKS IN THE REAL WORLD
The traditional approach to strategy is broken.
In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.
Strategy Meets Reality is a podcast for leaders, strategists, and thinkers who want real insight—not theory. Hosted by organisational psychologist and systems thinker Mike Jones, each episode cuts through the noise with honest conversations from people who’ve lived the complexity, made the tough calls, and rethought what strategy means in practice.
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Latest Episode
Ep. 31 Reclaiming Strategy: Mike Jones on Perception, Structure, and the Return to Coherence
Host: Mike Jones
“Strategy doesn’t fail in the field—it fails in the boardroom.”
In this reflective solo episode, Mike Jones unpacks what 30 episodes of Strategy Meets Reality have revealed about the real challenges of strategy today. He explores why perception matters more than planning, how structural inertia undermines execution, and why we must stop treating strategy as performance.
From the OODA Loop to Viable System Models, this is a powerful call to rethink how organisations move, adapt, and survive.
All Episodes
Ep. 31Reclaiming Strategy: Mike Jones on Perception, Structure, and the Return to Coherence
Strategy fails before it reaches the field—because we’ve turned it into a branding exercise.
In this 31st episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones reflects on the journey so far. He explores why strategy fails first in perception, how structural inertia breaks execution, and why we must shift from alignment to coherence. This is a grounded call to return strategy to what it always was: the art of movement, not management.
Ep. 30 The Thinking Brain: Dr. Delia McCabe on Neuroplasticity, Nutrition, and the Neuroscience of Leadership
Leadership begins in the brain.
Dr. Delia McCabe—neuroscientist and author—joins Mike Jones to explore how brain function, nutrition, and stress shape our ability to lead, decide, and adapt. They unpack why creativity collapses under pressure, how uncertainty challenges cognition, and how neuroplasticity can be trained like a muscle.
From cognitive resilience and emotion’s role in influence to the neuroscience behind the “feeling of knowing,” this episode offers practical, science-backed insights for leaders ready to think better—because real strategy starts in the mind.
Ep. 29 Against the Grain: Saul Betmead de Chasteigner on Strategy, Structure, and the Psychology of Change
Strategy doesn’t break because of failure—it breaks because success hides the cracks.
In this episode, Saul Betmead de Chasteigner—organisational psychologist and strategic advisor—joins Mike Jones to explore why many transformations fail to deliver lasting change. They dive into the dangers of performance theatre, how feedback is ignored when things seem to be working, and why autonomy without structure is just chaos.
This is a thoughtful, practical conversation for leaders rethinking what it really takes to change how organisations work—not just what they do.
Ep. 28 Beehives and Viability: Mick Brian on Strategy, Feedback, and Emergent Learning
Strategy is not a plan—it’s how you learn fast enough to stay viable.
In this episode, Mick Brian—consultant, former soldier, and strategic thinker—joins Mike Jones to explore how feedback, autonomy, and learning culture shape real organisational resilience. They discuss what bees reveal about decentralised coordination, why after-action reviews matter, and how technology can support—or hinder—emergence.
This is a sharp, practical conversation for leaders who want to build organisations that can adapt and endure.
Meet your Host:
Mike Jones
Mike Jones is a systems thinker, organisational psychologist, and former British Army soldier.
He’s worked as a strategy and execution advisor to senior executives across rail, tech, and government to rethink how strategy actually works in complexity.
He founded LBI Consulting and author of the upcoming book When Strategy Meets Reality.
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