Episode 104 - Don’t drift into 2026: The annual review that sets you up for your best year yet

SUMMARY SECTION

As leaders, it’s easy to drift from one year into the next without ever truly stopping to reflect. January arrives. The inbox fills. The pressure resumes and by March, many leaders are wondering why nothing feels different. In this episode of The Lonely Leader Podcast James Rule challenges that pattern and invites you to pause, reflect, and intentionally design what comes next. This is not about New Year’s resolutions or vague goal-setting. It’s about leadership responsibility, starting with how you lead yourself.

The Two Reviews every leader must conduct:

Professional review: performance, impact, relationships, reputation, career capital.

Personal review: energy, health, mindset, habits, fulfilment.

High performance without wellbeing is a short career. This episode shows how the two must align.

Who this episode is for

Senior leaders and executives feeling stuck in repeat cycles.

High performers who want sustainable success, not burnout.

Leaders who want clarity, focus, and fulfilment heading into 2026.

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 102 - Ten steps that made 2025 my best ever year. They can do the same for you.

Episode 93 - Inside The Lonely Leader: My story, my philosophy

Episode 15 - The power of utilising a journal

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.

Episode 103

Escaping Leadership Loneliness: The art of building powerful support networks

SUMMARY SECTION

Having operated as a CEO James is all too familiar with the loneliness and isolation of senior leadership. This episode is a sincere appeal to avoid loneliness and its corrosive impact, by building the appropriate support network to let you thrive in any and every leadership role you hold. James articulates a road map and key actions for higher levels of professional performance and fulfilment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The three key reasons that all leaders succumb to loneliness at some point in leadership.

How to stop romanticising self reliance.

The four core components of a support network that is applicable to every leadership role and that will yield higher levels of performance and fulfilment.

How to audit that network and the steps you can take to start enhancing it immediately.

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 93 - Inside The Lonely Leader: My story, my philosophy, my purpose

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

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

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.

Episode 102

Ten steps that made 2025 my best year ever

SUMMARY SECTION

In this episode of The Lonely Leader Podcast James Rule dissects the road map he built 12 months ago that has subsequently transformed his performance and facilitated unprecedented levels of fulfilment. He shares the ten steps he took and explains how you can adapt and implement them to achieve the results you dream of in your own professional role and personal life.

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 93 - Inside The Lonely Leader: My story, my philosophy, my purpose

Episode 97- The Comfort Trap: Why we stay stuck (and how to get unstuck)

Episode 48 - Leadership Essentials: Presence

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.