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In a world that won’t sit still, leaders can’t rely on outdated models built for stability and control.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. 33 Freedom Within Constraints: Julian Chender on Strategy, Capabilities and Navigating Organisational Reality
Host: Julian Chender
“Strategy is about convergence. Not consensus.”
In this episode, Julian Chender—organisational design expert, strategy advisor, and founder of 11A Collaborative—joins Mike Jones to explore how structure, capabilities, and leadership shape real strategy execution. They discuss how generalists strengthen adaptability, why trust and feedback loops are essential, and how to build clarity and convergence in organisations facing complexity.
This is a clear, grounded conversation on making strategy work—not just in theory, but in practice.
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Ep. 30 The Thinking Brain: Dr. Delia McCabe on Neuroplasticity, Nutrition, and the Neuroscience of Leadership
Leadership begins in the brain.
Dr. Delia McCabe—neuroscientist and author—joins Mike Jones to explore how brain function, nutrition, and stress shape our ability to lead, decide, and adapt. They unpack why creativity collapses under pressure, how uncertainty challenges cognition, and how neuroplasticity can be trained like a muscle.
From cognitive resilience and emotion’s role in influence to the neuroscience behind the “feeling of knowing,” this episode offers practical, science-backed insights for leaders ready to think better—because real strategy starts in the mind.
Ep. 20 Planning to Adapt: Johan Ivari on Strategy, Narrative, and the Set-Based Approach
Strategy isn’t about having the answers—it’s about keeping your options open.
In this episode, Johan Ivari—military officer, lecturer, and systems thinker—joins Mike Jones to explore how leaders can design strategy that stays viable under pressure. They dive into set-based planning, viable systems, and narrative-led execution, showing how to create organisations that learn, adapt, and act—not just perform to plan.
Ep. 19 Brave Builders of the Future: Louise Le Gat on Shapeshifting Leadership and Navigating System Shifts
Most leaders are still managing the old system—while the world has already shifted.
In this episode, Louise Le Gat—creator of Positive Impact Leadership—joins Mike Jones to challenge the role of leadership in a shapeshifting world. From upgrading mental models and dismantling survival mechanisms to reinventing value itself, they explore what it takes to lead when the old playbook no longer fits. A grounded and powerful conversation for leaders ready to shape the future—not just survive it.
Ep. 14 Rethinking Innovation: Paul Frobisher on Strategy, Thinking better, and Organising for Uncertainty
Innovation is often misunderstood—as a buzzword, a campaign, or a flashy showcase of creativity. But real innovation is about solving the right problems.
In this episode, Paul Frobisher—engineer, innovator, and founder of Strategic Innovation—joins Mike Jones to explore why so many organisations mismanage innovation. They unpack how poor problem definition, disconnected strategy, and emotional resistance undermine progress—and why frameworks like TRIZ and IDEF0 help bring discipline and clarity. From hydrogen futures to innovation ecosystems, this is a grounded conversation on what it takes to innovate with intent in an uncertain world.
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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