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In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.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. 17 Futures, Fit, and Fragility: Norman Chorn on Strategy, Scenarios, and Organising for Uncertainty
Guest: Norman Chorn
"There’s very little future in predicting the future."
In this episode, Norman Chorn—strategist, educator, and scenario thinker—joins Mike Jones to challenge conventional planning and explore how leaders can build organisations that thrive in uncertainty. From the fragility of efficiency to the power of coherence over alignment, they unpack how to make low-regret strategic bets, navigate complexity, and design for resilience.
This is a practical, thoughtful conversation on preparing for multiple futures—and why strategic viability depends on more than just a good plan.
All Episodes
Ep. 16 Reconceptualising Strategy: Ben Zweibelson on Strategy, Complexity, and Multi-Paradigm Thinking
Most organisations think they’re doing strategy—but they’re often just reinforcing a single worldview.
In this episode, Ben Zweibelson—veteran, military strategist, and author of Reconceptualizing War—joins Mike Jones to explore how dominant paradigms shape the way we fight, plan, and lead. From functionalism to interpretivism, and complexity to irreversibility, this is a sharp, provocative look at why multi-paradigm thinking is no longer optional. It’s the foundation of modern strategic sensemaking.
Ep. 11 No Silver Bullet: Reconnecting Strategy, Change, and Leadership with Steve Hearsum
Quick fixes won’t fix your culture. And communication isn’t change.
In this episode, Steve Hearsum joins Mike Jones to challenge the illusions that derail organisational change. They unpack why so many efforts fail, how strategy and leadership become disconnected, and what it really takes to build capability, coherence and commitment—from the inside out.
Steve is the author of No Silver Bullet, a book that asks tough questions most leaders avoid—and offers a way through that doesn’t start with a model, but with honesty.
Ep. 10 Open Strategy in Practice with Julia Hautz: Turning Participation into Strategic Advantage
Openness won’t mean consensus—but it can create real commitment.
In this episode, Julia Hautz joins Mike Jones to explore how open strategy challenges the tradition of closed-door planning and builds legitimacy through structured participation. From navigating crisis to reshaping culture, this is a call for leaders to rethink how strategy gets made—and who gets to shape it.
Ep. 07 Reimagining Risk with Stefan Gershater: How to Make Risk an Enabler, Not a Hindrance
Risk isn’t just about avoiding failure—it’s the fuel for growth. In this episode, Stefan Gershater joins Mike Jones to unpack how leaders can reimagine risk as a strategic enabler by linking it to objectives, decision-making, and long-term resilience.
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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