The Leaders in Strategy Podcast

What if the smartest strategy in business is not to compete directly at all?
In this episode of our Sun Tzu: The Art of War mini-series, we dive into one of history’s most famous strategic principles: "Winning Without Fighting."
Discover how to change the rules of the game so you no longer have to fight on standard terms. Learn how to move away from price wars and long sales cycles using three powerful business levers: Differentiation, Repositioning, and Partnerships, along with our actionable Strategic Moves Matrix.
QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: Which of the three levers (Differentiation, Repositioning, or Partnerships) does your business need to focus on right now?
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies. To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
#SunTzu #TheArtOfWar #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #MarketPositioning #StrategicThinking #GrowthStrategy #BusinessGrowth

Are you failing because you’re not doing enough or because you’re doing too much?
Welcome back to our mini-series Sun Tzu and The Art of War. In this episode, Mike dives deep into one of the most destructive traps in modern business... Strategic Overload.
By translating Sun Tzu’s ancient military wisdom on the "cost of prolonged conflict" into a practical toolkit, Mike explains why true strategic discipline isn't about doing more, but about having the courage to do less. Learn how to stop diluting your impact, identify your true priorities, and master the art of strategic subtraction.
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #suntzu #leadersinstrategy
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community:
https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
 Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business?
I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
 

Most business leaders think winning is about working harder and selling more. But what if the secret to sustainable growth isn't doing more but thinking differently before you act?
In Episode 3 of our Art of War mini-series, we translate Sun Tzu’s timeless principles into a practical framework for modern business. We dive deep into why most strategies fail and how to bridge the dangerous gap between what you believe is true and what the market actually experiences. Stop asking "What should we do next?" and start asking "Where might we be wrong?"
Today's Homework:
Take 10 minutes today to answer two questions honestly: What do you believe about your business that you haven't truly tested? And what might change if that belief turned out to be wrong?
Share your thoughts or breakthroughs in the comments below.
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #suntzu #leadersinstrategy
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
 
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/

Most businesses think they lose opportunities because of a poor pitch, a weak proposal, or stronger competition. The reality? Most deals are won or lost long before the meeting ever takes place.
In this episode of the Art of War series, you will get an insight into what content becoming a member of our Patreon community can give you, while we explore one of Sun Tzu's most powerful strategic principles: win before you fight. Discover how positioning, not persuasion, is often the biggest factor in business success.
Whether you're a business owner, senior leader, consultant, or sales professional, this episode will help you stop competing harder and start competing smarter.
 
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #suntzu #leadersinstrategy
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
 

Are you tired of throwing money at marketing campaigns that just don’t deliver? You aren't alone. In this episode of Leaders in Strategy, we tackle the real fears, industry distrust, and overwhelm that business owners face when trying to scale online. We are joined by Jess Williams, Director of Design in the Shires, a website and digital marketing expert who handles our very own website.
We dive deep into why humanising your brand ("people buy from people") beats a rigid sales pitch every time, why traditional print marketing still holds value, and how building a workplace culture centred on mental health and happiness directly fuels business success.
Stick around until the end, where Jess lays out three actionable "homework" steps you can use to audit your website traffic and social media strategy today!
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #workplacewellness #LeadersInStrategy
---------
You can find out more about Jess and Design in the Shires here: https://www.designintheshires.co.uk/
---------
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
---------
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
---------
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
---------
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
 

Most leaders think strategy is about working harder, selling more, or outperforming the competition. But what if the best leaders don't win because they do more, but because they think differently before they ever act?
Welcome to the first episode of our exclusive mini-series diving deep into Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and translating its ancient wisdom into modern business realities.
In this episode, we break down the biggest misconception in business today: the myth that strategy is about fighting better. Instead, we explore how to create conditions where fighting is completely unnecessary.
If you are relying on pure execution and effort to win, you’re already too late.
Strategic Mindshift of the Day: Stop asking, "How do we win this?" and start asking, "Why are we in this position in the first place?"
---------
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy
---------
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast  
---------
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
---------
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies. To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
 

Unlock the secrets to effective strategy, goal setting, and business growth. Today, we dive deep into our recent guests, showcasing their range of knowledge on how to transform your vision into reality, navigate the complexities of digital marketing, and leverage cutting-edge tools like AI to drive their success.
Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, this episode provides bite-sized actionable frameworks and expert advice to sharpen your strategic thinking and achieve your most ambitious goals.
In this episode, our leaders cover:
• Mastering Goal Setting: Learn how to set clear, actionable goals with specific timelines to ensure your dreams become achievable realities.
•The Art of Strategy: Discover diverse perspectives on strategy, from defining your "why" and "how" to its crucial role in scaling your business and digital marketing efforts.
• Navigating Digital Marketing: Understand the challenges and opportunities in digital marketing, including identifying your target audience and choosing the right investment channels.
•AI as a Strategic Partner: Explore how Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, strategising, and enhancing decision-making processes.
• Actionable Frameworks for Growth: Gain practical insights from the "5 Question Framework" and learn how to build a robust strategy that drives clarity, reduces mistakes, and ensures consistent progress.
---------
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy
---------
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
---------
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
---------
Follow me and my guests on LinkedIn:
Mike Harris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
Gus Bhandal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mguruuk/
Jess Williams - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-williams-bab292147/
Oli Wood - https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodoli/
Dave Stubberfield - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davestubberfield/
Sian Brennan-Todd - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sian-brennan-todd/
Yemi Oluseun - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemioluseun/
Jeanette Linfoot - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot/
 

Most business leaders know they need to adopt AI to stay competitive, but very few understand how to integrate it without getting generic, cheap results.
In this episode, Mike Harris is joined by Oli Wood, an AI and automation expert and entrepreneur, to tackle the massive challenges and opportunities that AI brings to business leadership. They discuss why off-the-shelf software often falls short and how tailored AI strategies can transform how your company operates daily.
Oli shares practical insights from a decade in the tech industry, moving from data engineering to building advanced AI automation systems. He explains why you should never use AI to fix a broken process, how to avoid the trap of poorly generated marketing images, and why breaking your business challenges into digestible chunks is the key to scaling efficiently.
Mike and Oli also dive into the reality of AI as a leadership sounding board, debunking the common myth of using AI as a basic search engine, and exploring how AI could completely revolutionise the education and training sectors.
If your business wants to grow its turnover, work more efficiently, master the art of prompt engineering, or successfully deploy AI agents that actually move the needle, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can use right away.
 
---
#ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessAutomation #AIInBusiness #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #PromptEngineering #BusinessGrowth #TechInnovation #BusinessPodcast #entrepreneurshippk
---
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://www.patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
---
To find out more about Oli and automating processes with AI, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodoli/
---
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
---
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
---
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775
 

What are the biggest challenges business leaders are facing right now?
In this special Patreon insight episode, Mike Harris answers 10 real questions submitted by business owners, professionals, and leaders from the Leaders in Strategy community.
The discussion covers leadership, AI, customer retention, LinkedIn strategy, business planning, and how to make better decisions in uncertain markets.
Mike shares practical advice on how to avoid sounding generic online, how to adapt when technology changes faster than your business strategy, and how to reduce risk when too much revenue depends on a small number of customers. The episode also explores why company values often fail, how leaders should redefine success over time, and how to understand what customers truly want by analysing behaviour instead of just listening to opinions.
If you are leading a business, managing growth, or navigating constant change, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can help strengthen your strategy and leadership approach.
------- Referenced Videos
Q1 - 5 Leadership Lessons Business Owners Usually Pay Thousands For https://youtu.be/7jTdNuSZBBc?si=M8jHgBHkNZJbszOR
Q2 - How To Make Money On LinkedIn https://youtu.be/ii6mosQAcP4?si=LtQutGPgJJr0MdHK
Q3 - AI Predicts the Biggest Business Challenges of 2026 https://youtu.be/r4TRdm1jGKc?si=4uZdN_sG-5etFuFB
Q4 - No Customers, No Business: Why Customer Management Really Drives Growth https://youtu.be/XxGtmtnujec?si=53MJOfTYlyy3i2t2
Q5 - The Business Plan Review Every Leader Should Do This Year https://youtu.be/6dahuAoTbLo?si=xIEcFBv2h0JgTUzm
Q6 - Christmas Special: Why Values Matter More Than Ever in Leadership https://youtu.be/Xym10OPHip8?si=0MvBVfbmKdlKdu4Q
Q7 - New Year Special: What Does Success Look Like for Business Leaders in 2026 https://youtu.be/dXCDFC_WvTo?si=Pws7wRoLBIWgmgDJ
Q8 - 5 Leadership Lessons Most Business Owners Learn Too Late https://youtu.be/9BuYhJLTxxc?si=2RY5fA7P8n3vYc1i
Q9 - The Business Plan Review Every Leader Should Do This Year https://youtu.be/6dahuAoTbLo?si=xIEcFBv2h0JgTUzm
Q9 - AI Predicts the Biggest Business Challenges of 2026 https://youtu.be/r4TRdm1jGKc?si=4uZdN_sG-5etFuFB
Q 10 - No Customers, No Business: Why Customer Management Really Drives Growth https://youtu.be/XxGtmtnujec?si=53MJOfTYlyy3i2t2
Q 10 - How To Make Money On LinkedIn https://youtu.be/ii6mosQAcP4?si=LtQutGPgJJr0MdHK
---------
#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy
---------
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
---------
Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.
--------- Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business?
I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
---------
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/
 

Most businesses say they want to upgrade their operations, but few know how to make improvement a regular part of their daily work.
In this episode, Mike Harris is joined by Dave Stubberfield, an award-winning expert in customer experience and continuous improvement, to talk about why they should be an inbuilt part of your business and become part of how your company operates every day. They discuss the strong link between giving good customer service, running smoothly, and growing the business in the long run.
Dave shares practical tips from over 14 years of experience helping organisations change for the better. He explains how companies can improve their ways of working without adding unnecessary complications, why leaders often don’t realise what’s really happening beneath the surface, and how small, steady improvements can lead to a big competitive edge over time.
Mike and Dave also talk about why involving staff in the process is important, how the word “change” can put people on edge, and how listening carefully to both employees and customers can help businesses perform better.
If your business wants to grow, keep customers happy, work more efficiently, make use of AI, or simply find smarter ways to do things, this episode is full of useful ideas you can start using right away.
---------
#BusinessGrowth #ContinuousImprovement #CustomerExperience #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #OperationalExcellence #BusinessPodcast #GrowthMindset #ProcessImprovement #CustomerJourney
---------
Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast
---------
To find out more about Dave and implementing continuing improvement in your business, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davestubberfield/
or visit his website at https://carter-consultancy.com/
---------
Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.
To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.
---------
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775