Strategy Meets Reality Podcast

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/

Mission command isn’t a process—it’s a culture.In this episode, Mike Jones is joined by Don Vandergriff, retired military leader and pioneer of outcomes-based learning, to explore what mission command really looks like in practice. Far from a doctrinal buzzword, it’s about building trust, empowering people, and creating space for thinking leaders.Don draws on decades of experience to show why control, ego, and risk aversion are the enemies of adaptability—and how learning must be active, informal, and continuous. From Von Moltke to tactical decision games, this conversation is packed with insights for anyone leading in complexity.If you want to stop managing and start developing real leadership, this one’s for you.🔍 In this episode:Why mission command is about culture, not command structuresThe critical role of trust, intent, and empowermentHow constraints and control kill initiativeWhy most After Action Reviews are brokenUsing historical insights to shape modern leadershipHow to build critical thinking and initiative with decision games🎧 Keywords: mission command, leadership, trust, empowerment, military culture, decision-making, adaptability, learning, critical thinking, Von Moltke📘 Learn more about Don’s work: https://donvandergriff.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/

In this engaging discussion, Eva Tomas, a futurist and founder of Simple Thinking, shares her insights on transforming strategic planning through futures thinking. She challenges traditional linear strategies, emphasizing the importance of understanding multiple outcomes and embracing complexity. Eva introduces the Banyan model, which connects past, present, and future, advocating for collective sensemaking over prediction. Her approach encourages leaders to embrace uncertainty and diverse perspectives, fostering adaptability and innovation in ever-changing environments.

What does the OODA loop really mean—and why do most leaders get it wrong?In this episode, Chet Richards—military strategist, Boyd collaborator, and author of Certain to Win—joins host Mike Jones to dive into the deeper layers of John Boyd’s thinking. We go beyond the buzzwords to explore how orientation drives every aspect of decision-making, tempo, and strategic agility.You’ll learn why mental models—not just data—shape how organisations perceive, decide, and act in complexity.🔍 In this episode:What orientation really means in the OODA loopWhy decision-making is more than speed—it’s about fitThe role of decentralisation and trust in military and business leadershipHow culture and power dynamics shape your ability to adaptWhat business can and can’t learn from military doctrineGuest Bio: Chet Richards is a retired USAF Colonel and a leading interpreter of John Boyd’s work. He is the author of Certain to Win: The Strategy of John Boyd, Applied to Business, and has worked with military, government, and corporate leaders on applying Boyd’s ideas to organisational life.📘 Buy the book: https://a.co/d/9ZR4Pvp🔗 Learn more: https://slightlyeastofnew.com🎧 Keywords: Strategy, OODA loop, Decision Making, Chet Richards, John Boyd, Orientation, Decentralisation, Leadership, Military Strategy, Business Agility, Organisational Behaviour, Systems ThinkingSend 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/

Strategy isn’t a plan—it’s a pattern.In this episode, systems thinker and strategy expert Patrick Hoverstadt joins host Mike Jones to explore what strategy looks like in real life: dynamic, context-driven, and shaped by power, fit, and timing.Patrick introduces the Patterns of Strategy approach, offering a powerful lens to understand the relational, political, and temporal dimensions of strategic positioning—far beyond alignment or linear models.If you're tired of empty strategy decks and want to understand how strategy really unfolds in complexity, this one’s for you.🔍 In this episode:Why strategy is a pattern of positioning over timeUnderstanding power and fit as core to strategic dynamicsWhy “alignment” is often a trapHow to navigate ecosystems and competing playersUsing patterns, not plans, to steer in uncertaintyGuest Bio: Patrick Hoverstadt is the author of Patterns of Strategy and The Grammar of Systems. He works with senior leadership teams on strategic direction and organisational viability in complex systems.📘 Learn more about Patterns of Strategy: https://amzn.eu/d/5ieaTGz🎧 Keywords: strategy, systems thinking, Patrick Hoverstadt, organisational design, complexity, leadership, decision-makingSend 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/

Mike Burrows, founder of Agendashift and author, dives deep into the art of creating deliberately adaptive organizations. He emphasizes that adaptability stems from participation rather than strict structures. Burrows warns against blindly adopting models without context and highlights the necessity of clarity of purpose in navigating uncertainty. The discussion touches on the importance of healthy communication, cross-functional collaboration, and unlearning outdated leadership practices to foster resilience and innovation within teams.