Ep. 34 No Bullshit Strategy with Alex Smith: Why Strategy Is a Doing Discipline, Not a Thinking Exercise
Most organisations overthink strategy and underdo it.
In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones sits down with Alex Smith, author of No Bullshit Strategy, to explore why strategy has drifted into a thinking exercise instead of a doing discipline.
Alex explains why the fundamentals of strategy are simple, why leaders obsess over the wrong things, and why the real work starts when you make a move your competitors cannot or will not copy. From diagnosing industry flaws to the value of sacrifice and contrarian thinking, this is a grounded conversation that cuts through jargon and brings strategy back to action.
🔍 In this episode:
• Only as better than best: why out-competing rarely works
• Sacrifice as the engine of real innovation
• Strategy as a doing discipline
• The macro vs micro problem in organisations
• Why language corrupts strategic thinking
• Why customer obsession kills good strategy
• Diagnosing industry problems, not customer problems
• Simple execution that people can actually act on
🎧 Keywords: Strategy, No Bullshit Strategy, Competitive Advantage, Industry Diagnosis, Strategic Simplicity, Execution, Action, Contrarian Strategy, Leadership, Decision Making
📘 Alex’s Work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/
📬 Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones
🌐 Full episodes: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategy-meets-reality
👂 Enjoying the show?
Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast.
🔗 Full episodes, show notes, and resources: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality-podcast
📺 Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@StrategyMeetsReality
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout
💬 Connect with host Mike Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones/
