The Lonely Leader cover art

The Lonely Leader

The Lonely Leader

By: James Rule
Listen for free

About this listen

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
  • The Leadership Accelerator: Built by leaders for leaders
    Sep 8 2025

    Episode 90

    The Leadership Accelerator: Built by leaders for leaders.


    SUMMARY


    The Lonely Leader just turned six years old! To celebrate we going to provide six people with access to our flagship programme The Leadership Accelerator. James discusses how this coaching programme has been built by leaders for leaders to tackle the most frequently expressed challenges high performing leaders are facing today.


    The Leadership Accelerator Testimonials.

    James' LinkedIn Recommendations.


    KEY TAKEAWAYS


    The six core challenges of modern day leadership.

    Why work life integration and taking a holistic approach is essential for sustaining high performance.

    The importance of the authentic delivery of content derived from lived life experience as opposed to regurgitation of theoretical rhetoric.

    Why we all deserve to access the best version of ourselves and attain the highest level of fulfilment in our professional role and personal lives.



    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 73 - Invisible Drains: 7 Silent Killers of Leadership Energy


    Episode 71 - Holiday Illness: A warning sign you can’t ignore


    Episode 64 - Leading without regrets



    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
    24 mins
  • Leadership Essentials: Belief - The fuel that drives you forward
    Sep 1 2025

    Episode 89

    Leadership Essentials: Belief - The fuel that drives you forward


    SUMMARY SECTION


    In this episode of The Lonely Leader Podcast, James Rule explores the Leadership Essential of Belief the foundation that underpins courage, resilience, and innovation. Without belief, leadership falters. With it, almost anything is possible.


    James outlines why belief matters, how it spreads through teams, and why it becomes the emotional thermostat of leadership. Drawing lessons from:

    • Muhammad Ali who declared himself “The Greatest” before the world believed it.
    • General George S. Patton who led through chaos with absolute conviction.
    • Walt Disney who turned repeated rejections into the dream of Disneyland.

    Through these real world examples and his own personal reflections and actionable takeaways, James shows how belief helps leaders create clarity, inspire confidence, and push through adversity.



    KEY TAKEAWAYS

    • Why belief is the emotional anchor of leadership.
    • How to demonstrate belief in yourself, your people, and your vision.
    • Six actionable takeaways to cultivate belief daily.

    Leadership is lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Belief is the fuel that turns doubt into determination.



    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 84 - Leadership Essentials: Clarity


    Episode 48 - Leadership Essentials: Presence


    Episode 14 - Leadership Essentials: Humility



    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
    23 mins
  • The Leadership Essential of Preparation
    Aug 25 2025

    Episode 88

    The Leadership Essential of Preparation


    SUMMARY SECTION


    James Rule explores why preparation is a non-negotiable leadership essential. Drawing on lessons from sport, business, and the military, James shares how Eliud Kipchoge, Sheryl Sandberg, and Admiral William McRaven use meticulous preparation to consistently deliver under pressure.


    From communication and diary planning to recovery and rehearsing under pressure, you’ll discover actionable takeaways to strengthen your preparation habits and lead with greater confidence.



    KEY TAKEAWAYS


    Why preparation separates good leaders from great ones

    How top performers in sport, business, and the military prepare for success

    7 practical strategies to improve your preparation

    How preparation builds confidence, resilience and our ability to optimise performance



    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 56 - Leadership Essentials: Positivity


    Episode 54 -The power of rest: Unlocking high performance through recovery


    Episode 52 - The legacy you leave



    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
    29 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.