Planning isn’t about precision—it’s about possibility.

In this episode, Mike Jones is joined by Johan Ivari—Swedish Armed Forces officer, lecturer at the Swedish Defence University, and author of A Set-Based Approach: Searching for the Problem–Solution Eclipse. Together, they explore how strategy and execution can remain viable in a world shaped by unpredictability and complexity.

Johan challenges the illusion of control, unpacks why detailed plans often collapse on contact with reality, and explains how the set-based approach protects adaptability by expanding options, not narrowing them. From mission command and viable systems to cognitive agency and feedback loops, this episode is a rich exploration of thinking, learning, and leading in real time.

🔍 In this episode:

• Why narrative—not metrics—should lead execution
• The danger of detailed plans and false certainty
• How viable systems enable distributed action and coherence
• Why leaders must protect their organisation’s capacity to act
• The value of affordances and ‘coarse’ planning
• Why set-based planning improves decision quality and learning

🎧 Keywords: Set-Based Planning, Viable Systems, Mission Command, Complexity, Strategy Execution, Feedback Loops, Agency, Command and Control, Adaptive Leadership

📘 Read Johan’s paper: A Set-based Approach
📬 Connect with Johan: LinkedIn

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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/

Leadership is no longer about maintaining the old—it’s about shapeshifting into the new.

In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Louise Le Gat, creator of the purpose-led roadmap, to explore how leaders must evolve in the face of global disruption, systemic shifts, and societal transformation.

Louise challenges us to stop being good soldiers of the status quo and become brave builders of the future. From mental model upgrades to organisational reinvention, this is a deep dive into the inner and outer shifts leaders must make to shape what comes next.

🔍 In this episode:

• Why we’re still acting like we’re safely in port—but we’re already in the storm
• The move from control to coherence, from managing to shaping
• How imagination and purpose redefine value in uncertain times
• Dismantling survival mechanisms and embracing uniqueness
• The inner system shifts that must accompany outer change
• Creating spaces for intrapreneurial agility and reinvention

🎧 Keywords: Leadership, System Shifts, Mental Models, Purpose-Led, Inner Work, Shapeshifting, Reinvention, Positive Impact, Complexity, Legacy Leadership

📘 Learn more about Louise’s work: https://www.louiselegat.com/
📬 Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiselegat

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/

Engagement isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage.

In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Marcus Dimbleby—former RAF, red teaming expert, and founder of Effective Direction—to explore how critical thinking and challenge cultures sharpen execution in complex environments.

Marcus explains why most organisations suffer from self-inflicted complexity, why outputs are mistaken for outcomes, and how empowerment without clarity or capability leads nowhere. From psychological safety to adaptive planning and human-led strategy, this is a grounded conversation on execution that works under pressure.

🔍 In this episode:

• Why red teaming unlocks the best ideas—not just hierarchy-approved ones
• The ROI of engagement and the real cost of quiet quitting
• Why complexity isn’t the enemy—but confusion is
• How psychological safety enables challenge, not comfort
• The problem with planning theatre and faux empowerment
• Critical thinking as the foundation of execution

🎧 Keywords: Red Teaming, Strategy Execution, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Organisational Complexity, Psychological Safety, Empowerment, Engagement, Mission Command, Organisational Design

📘 Learn more about Marcus’s work: https://www.effectivedirection.com/
📬 Connect with Marcus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusdimbleby

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/