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In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.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
📍 Listen/Watch on:
🔗 Subscribe and rethink your strategy.
Latest Episode
Ep. 23 – Strategy Is What We Do, Not What We Have: Donald MacLean on Emergence, Emotion, and Execution
Guest: Donald Maclean
“Don’t optimise your strategy on paper—optimise it through action.”
In this episode, Mike Jones speaks with Professor Donald MacLean—co-founder of Strategy Story—about what makes strategy real. From the emotional roots of commitment to the role of conversation, they explore why strategy must be lived, not laminated. A must-listen for anyone tired of PowerPoint strategies that go nowhere.
All Episodes
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.
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.
Do you know someone you recommend as a guest?
Pitch a guest: