Strategy Meets Reality Podcast

Control is comforting, but in complexity, it’s often a trap.In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Michael Negendahl, founder of Exaptive Labs and a former emergency nurse, to explore why many leadership responses are performative rather than practical. They unpack the psychological need for certainty, the danger of chasing tidy plans in messy environments, and the difference between solving a problem and solving the wrong one.This is a candid conversation about power, ego, and the courage to admit we don’t know. For leaders navigating real-world uncertainty, this one goes deep.🔍 In this episode:Why control is often just a performanceHow strategy becomes theatre when leaders avoid discomfortThe gap between perception and reality in problem-solvingThe difference between control and the illusion of controlWhat distributed intelligence looks like in practiceWhy proximity to the customer changes everything🎧 Keywords: Leadership, complexity, risk, control, decision-making, distributed intelligence, strategy, systems thinking, safety, problem-solving📘 Learn more about Michael’s work: https://www.exaptivelabs.com/aboutusSend Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

Innovation isn’t a brainstorm. It’s a way of thinking, organising, and acting in uncertainty.In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones sits down with Paul Frobisher—engineer, strategist, and founder of Strategic Innovation—to explore how organisations often misdiagnose the innovation challenge. From solving the wrong problems to collapsing under performance pressure, Paul breaks down the real reasons innovation fails—and what leaders can do instead.They explore the value of TRIZ and IDEF0, the emotional cost of failed innovation, and how to build innovation systems that work over time—not just on slides. With insight from automotive and energy disruption, this is a sharp look at how to think better, decide better, and act with intent.🔍 In this episode:Why most innovation fails before it startsHow to solve the right problem—not just move fastUsing TRIZ, IDEF0 and models to design innovation processesThe emotional and political side of innovationHydrogen, EVs, and the long game of disruptionWhy innovation isn’t about creativity—it’s about clarity🎧 Keywords: Innovation, TRIZ, IDEF0, uncertainty, strategy, engineering, EV disruption, hydrogen, decision-making, organisational design📘 Learn more about Paul’s work: https://strategic-innovation.co.uk/Send Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

What if the most powerful lever in strategy isn’t action—but orientation?In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Mark McGrath—Marine veteran, strategist, and expert in John Boyd’s OODA loop—to unpack how orientation drives adaptation, shapes perception, and rewires how organisations respond to disruption.Mark takes us deep into Boyd’s legacy, revealing why strategy is less about linear plans and more about continuous learning, destruction and creation, and evolving faster than the environment. From Wall Street trading floors to boardroom transformation, this episode is a masterclass in fighting inertia, rethinking time, and breaking free from the guardians of decay.🔍 In this episode:Why orientation—not action—is the true source of advantageHow destruction and creation enable real adaptationUnderstanding time, tempo, and disruptionWhat it means to lead with curiosity and humilityWhy small shifts create exponential effectsHow to challenge entrenched assumptions and power🎧 Keywords: OODA loop, John Boyd, strategy, orientation, disruption, decision-making, leadership, complexity, learning, strategic advantage📘 Learn more from Mark at: https://substack.com/@markjmcgrathSend Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

Design thinking isn’t just for product teams—it can reshape how we do strategy.In this episode, Mike Jones is joined by Leanne Sobel—Director of Strategic Design at Snowmelt and author of a recent PhD on the intersection of design and strategy. Together, they explore what it means to bring design into strategic work: not just as a toolkit, but as an ethos of participation, reflection, and experimentation.Leanne shares how traditional strategy often limits possibility through early assumptions—while design opens up space to sense, test, and adapt. From stakeholder engagement to making strategy usable in practice, this episode reframes how strategy can be done in complex environments.🔍 In this episode:How design challenges traditional strategy modelsBuilding usable strategies—not just presentationsWhy stakeholder inclusion is a risk-reducer, not a slowdownThe difference between design thinking and design practiceWhy reflection is a core strategic actCreating feedback loops to make strategy adaptive📘 Learn more about Leanne: https://www.snowmelt.io/team-members/leanne-sobel 🎧 Full podcast + notes: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality 🎙 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or YouTubeKeywords: Strategic Design, Design Thinking, Organisational Strategy, Adaptive Strategy, Design-Led Change, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Practice, Leadership, Systems Thinking, ComplexitySend Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

What if the real barrier to change isn’t resistance—but the stories leaders tell themselves to avoid doing the work?In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Steve Hearsum—consultant, coach, and author of No Silver Bullet—to unpack the deep disconnect between strategy, leadership, and organisational change.This isn’t about frameworks or toolkits. It’s about the mess, the uncertainty, and the anxiety that real change creates—and what happens when leaders fall back on control, comms theatre, and performative fixes.Steve brings sharp insight into why so many change efforts fail to stick, the myths that keep organisations stuck, and the work needed to build capability, coherence and culture from the inside out.🔍 In this episode:Why leadership development often misses the pointThe gap between strategy and actual changeHow anxiety and fragility show up in executive behaviourWhy clarity is useful—but coherence is criticalThe danger of “burning platform” narrativesWhat it really means to build organisational capabilityWhy communication isn’t the problem—it’s the shortcut🎧 Keywords: organisational change, leadership, capability, strategy execution, culture, complexity, communication, change management, OD, Steve Hearsum📘 Read No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix: https://amzn.eu/d/bUXQWSn Send Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

What if strategy wasn’t a closed-door ritual—but a way to build commitment from those who deliver it?In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Julia Hautz—Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Innsbruck and co-author of Open Strategy—to explore what really happens when leaders invite participation into the strategy process.This isn’t about consensus. And it’s not about giving everyone a vote. It’s about designing strategy so it’s recognised, understood, and owned by the people closest to reality.Julia shares insights from years of research and organisational engagement, unpacking the myths, the structural discipline, and the leadership mindset required to make openness work. From crisis response to long-term strategy shaping, she lays out why open strategy isn’t soft—it’s a strategic advantage when done well.🔍 In this episode:Why open strategy isn’t democracy—and why that mattersHow participation creates psychological ownership and commitmentThe risk of surface-level engagement and ‘black box’ decisionsWhat leaders fear about openness—and how to manage itHow to create structure without killing initiativeWhy “just involving people” usually backfiresThe power of openness in times of crisis🎧 Keywords: open strategy, strategic participation, leadership, decision-making, legitimacy, organisational culture, strategy execution, transparency, inclusion, commitment, strategy process📘 Learn more in Julia’s book Open Strategy (co-authored with Christian Stadler, Kurt Matzler and Stephan Friedrich von den Eichen) https://amzn.eu/d/8RpROITSend Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

What if AI isn’t the answer—but a way to ask better questions?In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Matt Mullan—strategist, technologist, and co-creator of the H-Scan11 newsletter—to explore how leaders can engage with the future in a more intelligent, imaginative, and grounded way.This isn’t another hype piece about AI. It’s a challenge to the illusion of certainty that dominates leadership today. From human-machine teaming to building AI literacy, Matt lays out a compelling case for why the future isn’t something to predict—it’s something we actively shape.Drawing on his work at the intersection of AI and strategic foresight, Matt shares why decision-making is stuck in the past, how to spot the weak signals of disruption, and why emotional engagement—not data alone—is critical for leadership.🔍 In this episode:Futures thinking vs. strategic foresight—what’s the difference?Why AI is a force multiplier, not a crystal ballBuilding futures literacy across teams—not just execsThe danger of chasing perceived certaintyHow constraints fuel innovationWhy strategy needs imagination—not just information🎧 Keywords: AI, foresight, futures thinking, imagination, uncertainty, leadership, decision-making, scenario planning, strategic foresight, organisational capacity📬 Explore Matt’s and David Sloly thinking in H-Scan11: https://hscan11.substack.com/Send Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

Why military thinking still matters in businessIn this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones sits down with Ben Ford—Royal Marines veteran, technologist, and founder of Mission Ctrl—to explore what the military can really teach us about strategy, leadership, and execution in the business world.This is not about war stories or hierarchy. It’s about decentralised decision-making, strategic adaptation, and why organisations need to stop chasing efficiency and start building real capacity. Ben brings his unique perspective from the front lines of both military operations and tech implementation to challenge how we think about command and control, AI, and organisational resilience.From why most change management is broken to how businesses can learn from military doctrine without blindly copying it, this conversation goes deep into what it means to compete—and win—in uncertainty.🔍 In this episode:Why you can’t manage change—you have to lead itThe danger of over-optimising for efficiencyHow military doctrine evolved through failure and what business can learn from thatWhy planning still matters—even when everything changesHow AI can increase human capacity if you use it rightBuilding resilience through structure, not just tech🎧 Keywords: military, technology, strategy, agility, decentralisation, leadership, adaptability, AI, command and control, organisational design📘 Learn more about Ben’s work: https://missionctrl.dev/Send Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/

Stefan Gershater, Head of Risk and Governance at Co-op, transforms the perception of risk from a burden to a strategic asset. He discusses how aligning risk with organizational goals can enhance decision-making and resilience. The conversation critiques traditional risk management methods, advocating for innovative approaches that empower self-organizing teams. Gershater emphasizes the need for leaders to adapt their mental models to navigate uncertainties effectively, showing how embracing risk can drive growth and agility in any organization.

Management isn’t old-fashioned—it’s what makes real execution possible.In this episode, Mike Jones is joined by Adam Thompson, strategy and execution expert, to tackle why management matters more than ever in today’s overloaded organisations. Far from being just about "nice" leadership, success demands clarity, sequencing, and the courage to have adult conversations about real work.Adam shares practical insights into why organisations stall under overload, how to sequence tasks to unlock agility, and why execution without management is just wishful thinking. If you're serious about moving beyond slogans to real outcomes, this conversation is essential listening.If you want to rethink leadership, management, and execution from the ground up, this one's for you.🔍 In this episode:Why overload is the root cause of poor executionWhy management, not just leadership, is critical for successHow sequencing work reduces chaos and improves agilityWhy adult conversations—not assumptions—drive better workplace dynamicsThe real meaning of corporate courage in organisationsHow clarity and direction shape effective executionWhy "good enough" beats perfection in the real world🎧 Keywords: Adam Thompson, execution, management, leadership, clarity, sequencing, workplace dynamics, adult conversations, corporate courage, organisational strategy📘 Learn more about Adam’s work: https://www.thompsonorganisations.com.au/Send Mike a Message👂 Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 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/