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In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.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.
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday
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Latest Episode
Ep. 25 – Antifragile by Design: Janka Krings-Klebe on Governance, Autonomy, and Building Ecosystem Organisations
Guest: Janka Krings-Klebe
“Antifragility means getting stronger through disruption—but only if you design for it.”
In this episode, Janka Krings-Klebe—systems thinker and author of The Antifragile Organisation—joins Mike Jones to explore what it takes to build organisations that thrive in uncertainty. From ecosystem structures to learning cultures, they unpack how to rethink governance, funding, and leadership to enable innovation and resilience. It’s a grounded conversation for leaders shaping the future of work.
All Episodes
Ep. 25 Antifragile by Design: Janka Krings-Klebe on Governance, Autonomy, and Building Ecosystem Organisations
Antifragile isn’t just a mindset—it’s a design choice.
In this episode, Janka Krings-Klebe—author of The Antifragile Organization—joins Mike Jones to explore what it means to build organisations that thrive through disruption. They discuss why most governance systems unintentionally block innovation, how to balance autonomy and accountability, and why culture and value streams are critical to adaptive performance. It’s a practical, grounded conversation on leading in complexity.
Ep. 24 When Strategy Meets Security: Glenn Wilson on Technical Debt, Developer Voice, and Defensive Thinking
Strategy and cybersecurity fail for the same reasons: complexity without clarity, tools without purpose, and teams without voice.
In this episode, Glenn Wilson—cybersecurity expert and founder of Dynaminet—joins Mike Jones to explore the shared challenges of executing strategy and securing organisations. From technical debt to commander's intent, they discuss how resilience comes not from control, but from adaptability and empowered learning at the edge.
This isn’t a tech talk—it’s a leadership conversation about what breaks in real organisations, and what to do instead.
Ep 23. Strategy Is What We Do, Not What We Have: Donald MacLean on Emergence, Emotion, and Execution
Real strategy isn’t written. It’s spoken.
In this episode, Mike Jones is joined by Professor Donald MacLean—physicist turned strategist and co-founder of Strategy Story—to explore why strategy is something we do, not something we have. They unpack the failure of governance to enable adaptability, the emotional foundation of commitment, and the role of conversation in making strategy work. This is a rich, grounded conversation on bringing humanity back into strategic execution.
Ep. 22 Wayfinding in Complexity: Elsa Henderson on Strategy, Capacity, and Practical Wisdom
Strategy isn’t just about knowing where you’re going—it’s about learning how to find your way.
In this episode, Elsa Henderson—researcher, facilitator, and co-founder of Circle Generation—joins Mike Jones to explore the art of wayfinding in dynamic, uncertain environments. They discuss how leaders can develop anticipatory capacity, engage with change without a rigid map, and pay attention to the aesthetic, felt dimensions of leadership. A rich conversation on perception, practice, and the wisdom to act when certainty is out of reach.
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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