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The Lonely Leader

The Lonely Leader

Written by: James Rule
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The Lonely Leader helps existing and aspiring leaders become the best version of themselves.


We believe that leadership on the outside begins within.


By sharing decades of leadership experience, insights and best practice we can help you sharpen your skills.


Our unique and authentic style, drawing upon learnings from success and failure, will ensure you are better prepared to optimise your performance and meet the challenges of the modern day leader.


We regularly discuss creating and sustaining high performance, enhancing resilience, empowering our mindset and finding professional and personal fulfilment.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Rule Economics
Episodes
  • Resilient under pressure. Ten areas every leader must focus on.

    Resilient under pressure. Ten areas every leader must focus on.
    Feb 17 2026
    Episode 111Resilient under pressure. Ten areas every leader must focus on.SUMMARYEvery leader needs resilience to survive and thrive in modern day leadership. In this episode, James Rule shares the top ten areas of focus that the hundreds of leaders he has worked with have highlighted as been integral to enhancing their resilience. James shares a road map you can follow and stresses that these focus areas are universally applicable irrespective of the sector you operate in or the specifics of your role. KEY TAKEAWAYSJames directs you to the following episodes so you can access further insights:Episode 84 - Leadership Essentials: Clarity Episode 4 - High Performers do this every day to empower their mindsetEpisode 15 - The power of utilising a JournalEpisode 3 - Three leadership books every leader should readEpisode 48 - Leadership Essentials: Presence Episode 37- Recovery: The missing link for high performance Episode 8 - Leadership Essential: Dealing with criticism Episode 22 - Creating Psychological Safety in your teamEpisode 80 - Feedback Culture. The secret weapon of high performing teams (Part 1)Episode 81 - Feedback Culture. The secret weapon of high performing teams (Part 2)ABOUT THE HOST James is an experienced mentor, coach and thought leader who works with a range of clients from FTSE 100 companies, SME´s the NHS and wider public and not for profit sectors.His twenty year career in elite sport initially as a professional rugby player but predominantly as a chief executive has given him an invaluable insight in managing the success, failures and pressures associated with leadership at the highest level.As a high performance coach James specialises in enhancing resilience and leadership development. He is a passionate advocate of the notion that to find lasting fulfilment we need to take a holistic view of high performance. CONNECT & CONTACT Website www.thelonelyleader.co.ukThe Lonely Leader's LinkedIn James' LinkedInInstagramEmail: hello@thelonelyleader.co.uk NEWSLETTERSign Up to The Leadership Accelerator Newsletter for advice, inspiration and ideas, you'll also receive James' Tackling Imposter Syndrome guide.THIS SHOW WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LONELY LEADER MEDIA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    25 mins
  • My enough is enough moment and how it changed me as a leader and person

    My enough is enough moment and how it changed me as a leader and person
    Feb 10 2026
    Episode 110My enough is enough moment and how it changed me as a leader and personSUMMARYWelcome to The Lonely Leader Podcast. In this episode, James Rule discusses how collapsing with Pneumonia during his time as a CEO was a turning point in his approach to leadership. It provided a chance to reflect and to change habits and behaviours to find a more sustainable way to develop high performance. James shares the changes he made in the hope you can avoid the same pitfall and course correct before reaching your own enough is enough moment. James directs you to the following episodes so you can access further insights:Episode 2 - Why Leaders Must Adopt a Holistic View to Create and Sustain High PerformanceEpisode 11 - Leadership Essentials: DelegationEpisode 15 - The Power of Utilising a JournalEpisode 33 - High Performance PledgesEpisode 34 - Dealing with Negative PeopleEpisode 48 - Leadership Essentials: PresenceEpisode 54 - The Power of Rest: Unlocking High Performance Through RecoveryEpisode 71 - Holiday Illness: A Warning Sign You Can’t IgnoreEpisode 84 - Leadership Essentials: ClarityEpisode 86 - Leadership Essentials: Lifelong LearningABOUT THE HOST James is an experienced mentor, coach and thought leader who works with a range of clients from FTSE 100 companies, SME´s the NHS and wider public and not for profit sectors.His twenty year career in elite sport initially as a professional rugby player but predominantly as a chief executive has given him an invaluable insight in managing the success, failures and pressures associated with leadership at the highest level.As a high performance coach James specialises in enhancing resilience and leadership development. He is a passionate advocate of the notion that to find lasting fulfilment we need to take a holistic view of high performance. CONNECT & CONTACT Website www.thelonelyleader.co.ukThe Lonely Leader's LinkedIn James' LinkedInInstagramEmail: hello@thelonelyleader.co.uk NEWSLETTERSign Up to The Leadership Accelerator Newsletter for advice, inspiration and ideas, you'll also receive James' Tackling Imposter Syndrome guide.THIS SHOW WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LONELY LEADER MEDIA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    21 mins
  • What senior leaders wished they had acted on sooner

    What senior leaders wished they had acted on sooner
    Feb 3 2026

    Episode 109

    What senior leaders wished they had acted on sooner


    SUMMARY


    Welcome to The Lonely Leader Podcast. In this episode, James Rule explores the three most common issues that senior leaders delay taking action on. Even the highest performing leaders struggle at some stage in these areas which in turn compromises their performance, leadership impact and ultimately fulfilment. By sharing them he aspires to help you avoid these debilitating pitfalls on your own leadership journey.



    KEY TAKEAWAYS


    • The delay in addressing these issues seems to challenge each and every leader at some stage in their career.
    • Knowledge is power. The first step is awareness of the issues, the second is learning from the wisdom of those that have walked the leadership path ahead of you and taking the necessary action to course correct and avoid the same stresses and pitfalls.



    ABOUT THE HOST


    James is an experienced mentor, coach and thought leader who works with a range of clients from FTSE 100 companies, SME´s the NHS and wider public and not for profit sectors.


    His twenty year career in elite sport initially as a professional rugby player but predominantly as a chief executive has given him an invaluable insight in managing the success, failures and pressures associated with leadership at the highest level.


    As a high performance coach James specialises in enhancing resilience and leadership development. He is a passionate advocate of the notion that to find lasting fulfilment we need to take a holistic view of high performance.



    EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT


    Episode 106 - When performance stops feeling worth it: A conversation leaders rarely admit they’re having


    Episode 107 - Why senior leaders procrastinate and how to break the cycle


    Episode 108 - If you don’t redesign leadership it will redesign you



    CONNECT & CONTACT

    Website www.thelonelyleader.co.uk


    The Lonely Leader's LinkedIn

    James' LinkedIn

    Instagram

    Email: hello@thelonelyleader.co.uk


    NEWSLETTER

    Sign Up to The Leadership Accelerator Newsletter for advice, inspiration and ideas, you'll also receive James' Tackling Imposter Syndrome guide.


    THIS SHOW WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LONELY LEADER MEDIA

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
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