Strategy Meets Reality Podcast
Traditional strategy is broken.
The world is complex, unpredictable, and constantly shifting—yet most strategy still relies on outdated assumptions of control, certainty, and linear plans.
Strategy Meets Reality is a podcast for leaders who know that theory alone doesn’t cut it.
Hosted by Mike Jones, organisational psychologist and systems thinker, this show features honest, unfiltered conversations with leaders, strategists, and practitioners who’ve had to live with the consequences of strategy.
We go beyond frameworks to explore what it really takes to make strategy work in the real world—where trade-offs are messy, power dynamics matter, and complexity won’t go away.
No jargon. No fluff. Just real insight into how strategy and execution actually happen.
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe and rethink your strategy.
Episodes
Reclaiming Strategy: Mike Jones on Perception, Structure, and the Return to Coherence
The Thinking Brain: Dr. Delia McCabe on Neuroplasticity, Nutrition, and the Neuroscience of Leadership
Against the Grain: Saul Betmead de Chasteigner on Strategy, Structure, and the Psychology of Change
Beehives and Viability: Mick Brian on Strategy, Feedback, and Emergent Learning
Beyond OKRs: Radhika Dutt on the Performance Trap and the Puzzle Mindset
The Illusion of Progress: Paul Sweeney on Magnetic Nonsense, Corporate Culture, and Critical Thinking
Antifragile by Design: Janka Krings-Klebe on Governance, Autonomy, and Building Ecosystem Organisations
When Strategy Meets Security: Glenn Wilson on Technical Debt, Developer Voice, and Defensive Thinking
Strategy Is What We Do, Not What We Have: Donald MacLean on Emergence, Emotion, and Execution
Wayfinding in Complexity: Elsa Henderson on Strategy, Capacity, and Practical Wisdom
Value as the Compass: Hunter Hastings on Systems Thinking, Autonomy, and Organising for Impact
Planning to Adapt: Johan Ivari on Strategy, Narrative, and the Set-Based Approach
Brave Builders of the Future: Louise Le Gat on Shapeshifting Leadership and Navigating System Shifts
Critical Thinking as a Strategic Weapon: Marcus Dimbleby on Red Teaming, Engagement, and Execution
Futures, Fit, and Fragility: Norman Chorn on Strategy, Scenarios, and Organising for Uncertainty
Reconceptualising Strategy: Ben Zweibelson on Strategy, Complexity, and Multi-Paradigm Thinking
Diagnosing the Real Problem: Michael Negendahl on Risk, Control, and Leading in Complexity
Rethinking Innovation: Paul Frobisher on Strategy, Thinking better, and Organising for Uncertainty
Orientation is Everything: Mark McGrath on Boyd’s OODA, Disruption, and Strategic Adaptation
Designing Strategy: Leanne Sobel on Fusing Design Thinking with Strategic Practice
No Silver Bullet: Reconnecting Strategy, Change, and Leadership with Steve Hearsum
Open Strategy in Practice with Julia Hautz: Turning Participation into Strategic Advantage
Futures, AI, and the Illusion of Certainty: Rethinking Strategy with Matt Mullan
Ben Ford on Why Military Thinking Still Matters: Command, Control, and Competing in Chaos
Reimagining Risk with Stefan Gershater: How to Make Risk an Enabler, Not a Hindrance