Strategy Meets Reality Podcast No Bulls**t Strategy with Alex Smith: Why Strategy Is a Doing Discipline, Not a Thinking Exercise
Most organisations overthink strategy and underdo it.
In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones sits down with Alex Smith, author of No Bullsh**t Strategy, to explore why strategy has drifted into a thinking exercise instead of a doing discipline.
Alex explains why the fundamentals of strategy are simple, why leaders obsess over the wrong things, and why the real work starts when you make a move your competitors cannot or will not copy. From diagnosing industry flaws to the value of sacrifice and contrarian thinking, this is a grounded conversation that cuts through jargon and brings strategy back to action.
🔍 In this episode:
• Only as better than best: why out-competing rarely works
• Sacrifice as the engine of real innovation
• Strategy as a doing discipline
• The macro vs micro problem in organisations
• Why language corrupts strategic thinking
• Why customer obsession kills good strategy
• Diagnosing industry problems, not customer problems
• Simple execution that people can actually act on
🎧 Keywords: Strategy, No Bulls**t Strategy, Competitive Advantage, Industry Diagnosis, Strategic Simplicity, Execution, Action, Contrarian Strategy, Leadership, Decision Making
📘 Alex’s Work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/
📬 Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones
🌐 Full episodes: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategy-meets-reality
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🔗 Full episodes, show notes, and resources: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality-podcast
📺 Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@StrategyMeetsReality
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout
💬 Connect with host Mike Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones/