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In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.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. 28 Beehives and Viability: Mick Brian on Strategy, Feedback, and Emergent Learning
Guest: Mick Brian
“Bees don’t have a strategy deck. But they adapt better than most organisations.”
In this episode, Mick Brian—consultant and former soldier—joins Mike Jones to explore the role of feedback, learning, and decentralised intelligence in strategy. From after-action reviews to AI adoption, they unpack what makes an organisation viable—and why humans could learn a lot from bees.
This is a candid, thoughtful episode for anyone rethinking how to build feedback-driven, learning organisations that evolve to survive.
All Episodes
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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