OUR TESTIMONIALS DO THE TALKING
In my capacity as Chair of the RFL and Super League I witnessed first hand the leadership of James during his tenure in the sport. Having won the coveted Super League Club of the Year award which recognised on and off field performance, James clearly knows how to develop and lead an organisation.
What always impressed me with James was his resilience. In the pressure cooker environment that is professional sport, the challenges can come thick and fast. James consistently demonstrated an ability to meet and overcome those challenges, frequently demonstrating real innovation in his strategies. The community engagement work his clubs delivered and the recent "Beat the Scrum" campaign illustrates this innovation perfectly. I was delighted to see James and his team recognised by winning the Best Global Sponsorship award for this campaign at the prestigious Leaders in Sport Conference.
It is exciting to see what James has developed presenting and coaching as The Lonely Leader. He is an engaging speaker and his story and the lessons he has learned over many years in elite sport will certainly inspire his audience.
Brian Barwick
Former Chair Rugby Football League and Super League
Former Chief Executive Football Association
Former Head BBC Sport
James delivered a motivational talk to our full staff force at Head Office. From start to finish, they were all deeply engaged in the presentation. Despite there being significant disparity in age, experience and level of responsibility within the team, James was able to utilise his insights and personal experiences to resonate with everyone.
As CEO, one of the most rewarding aspects of the talk was that my staff have continued to talk about it weeks after it had been delivered. Each one of them was able to take parts from the presentation and apply it to their everyday roles. I’ve already noticed a difference in internal communications between staff and I’m sure we’ll continue to see further progression in some of the other areas that James talked about.
Lee Jenkinson
CEO Elite of Pro Sports
James has recently delivered a range of Academic and Industry related work for Leeds Beckett and specifically within the Carnegie School of Sports, Sport Management group. This work was not only highly relevant and provided a unique insight into the contemporary way in which Sports Businesses of today genuinely work-it also motivated the students and engaged them in a way rarely seen in Higher Education.
James is able to provide evidence to support ‘real-world’ case studies and he narrates these in such a way as to bring them to life in an exciting and bespoke way to suit the audience and environment he is working in. I have no hesitation in recommending James he will be a major success for you and the appropriate development of your business.
Nick Halafihi
Head of Sport Management Leeds Beckett University
Having heard James present as The Lonely Leader I was so impressed that I decided to work with him in an executive coaching capacity. Having owned and managed my own business for fifteen years, I can now see I had become comfortable in my leadership style.
Working with James, I was taken out of my comfort zone and I found his approach both refreshing and inspirational. His coaching has given me a new perspective and as a result I have implemented strategies that have helped me professionally and indeed personally.
John Darling
Owner and CEO of Darlings of Chelsea
James delivered a "CREATING UNSHAKEABLE RESILIENCE" session for our team and wow - we were absolutely inspired. In a time where a lot of people were struggling working and just functioning during lock down; James delivered an engaging and informative piece of work to a large group of us via a Microsoft Teams call.
Even though we were all physically separated, James' passion and unique style kept our entire team engaged and as a result we all left with individual learns that we are now putting into practice. If you are looking for some thought provoking, engaging and inspirational thought leadership for your team then this is definitely the man I would recommend.
The ideas were easy to follow, made sense and have certainly made improvements for me not just in my working life but in my personal life as well. Thank you James!
Hannah Quinn
Badenoch & Clark
Having listened to James and The Lonely Leader Seminar, I experienced the benefit of listening to a new voice from a new sector. I found myself reflecting on where I was and where I wanted to go. James shared a number of his learnings as a leader with passion and authenticity which really resonated with me. I left feeling energised and motivated and made some immediate changes to how I operate. I have been delighted with the results.
Paul Taylor
General Manager TGI Friday
Winner International General Manager of the Year
During our respective tenures James and I worked together for close to thirteen years. James is a natural leader and I have seen first hand the positive impact he had on the clubs he ran. I have always admired the work ethic and professionalism that James brought to his roles. Like many leaders he has faced numerous challenges but has always found a way to overcome them, which is credit to his resilience and tenacity.
James has some core principles that he has sought to embed in his clubs. A quality youth structure, a ground breaking community engagement programme and the recruitment and development of quality management teams. James has demonstrated an ability to recruit staff and develop them into high performing management teams. Five members of these management teams have gone on to hold Chief Executive roles in our sport which is testimony to his role as a leader.
It is no surprise that James has taken that desire to help staff develop into a new sector as a speaker under the brand of The Lonely Leader. His philosophies and personal experiences ensure that he can engage with a wide cross section of professionals. He is a passionate and authentic speaker who draws a number of personal lessons he has learned within the sporting world that can help individuals and businesses improve their performance.
Nigel Wood
Chief Executive of Rugby League International Federation
Former Chief Executive Rugby Football League and Super League
Some people, you never forget the day you met them. They just have ....well....''IT''. Jimmy Rule is a one in a million...no actually one in a billion personality - and believe me I've met a LOT of ''so called'' leader mentors in my career. Right now as much as any other time in business history, directors need help to remain steely, single minded and steady in adversity - or the whole pack of cards will come a tumbling down.
This man has seen it, lived it - dealt with it like very few others could have. He KNOWS his game. I've already sent a couple of CEOs to him - they then booked him to speak in house. Without a doubt his guidance helped them hold their ship on the kind of solid course that negotiated the storms and dissolved the sleepless nights that are becoming more and more part of running any kind of business.
If you are the man or woman at the top - its bloody lonely .
Don't do this alone...call him RIGHT NOW.
Nicky Pattinson
Owner Niki Pattinson
​
“The Lonely Leader, Lessons to my Teenage Self” was a fantastic opportunity for our Sixth Form students. James gave an extremely valuable and interesting insight into work within the Sports Industry but also his own life experiences and what he has learned. He gave our students some real life insights and the motivation to go and achieve anything they put their mind to. The analogy of not necessarily being the most talented, but the one who put the most work in and having the right attitude was taken on-board and was talked about extensively post presentation by the students.
They really enjoyed coming up with their own dream and how they may achieve this, which was another very good post presentation discussion between themselves. We can’t wait to get James back to talk to our other year groups and I would definitely recommend James to other schools and sixth forms.
Mr J Windeatt - Head of Sixth Form
Hull Collegiate School
​
I felt that the talk from James was one of the best we have had this year! It was great to hear what he has learned from his own personal experiences and the way he relayed this information to us was great.
Everyone enjoyed it and I'm sure took his messages on board. I thought the section on work ethic was an extremely important one for everyone to hear, especially since it isn't a topic usually covered by other external speakers, and is arguably one of the most important things for people to develop. The talk was engaging and relatable, and from what I've been told everyone agrees that it was one of the best we've had!
Jennifer - Head Girl 2019-20
Hull Collegiate School
​
James was our CEO for many years at Hull FC. He came into the role at a very young age and immediately set about making an impact with his energy, work ethic and willingness to lead by example.
The passion for Rugby League in the City of Hull is as intense as anything I have seen in the world. To be a leader in that market you need to have huge amounts of resilience. Every decision you make is scrutinised, debated and analysed. Invariably everyone will have an opinion on what you are doing and won’t be afraid to share that opinion with you.
James operated in that space for many years and delivered on and off field success. His positivity is infectious and his leadership really got the best out of our staff. He was always an outstanding communicator, a skill that he now utilises heading The Lonely Leader. As a motivational speaker or mentor he has a compelling story to share and the skills and experience to genuinely help people improve and realise their potential as leaders.
Kath Hetherington
Former Chairperson and major shareholder Hull FC
​
Having had the privilege of listening to James during his time at Widnes Vikings, he always seemed to be fighting an uphill battle, leading a small club with limited resources into competition with not only bigger rivals in his own sport, but also the big box office appeal of nearby Premier League football clubs.
But who doesn’t love a ‘Rocky’ story? They are always compelling, especially when they have such a committed, passionate and authentic hero figure as James.
Battling an almost freakish injury crisis that robbed the team of many key players over more than two seasons, as well as dealing with increasing disquiet from the fans, James rolled up his sleeves, dug in and stayed in the fight. Showing real resilience, he kept Widnes Vikings in the top tier against all the odds for six seasons.
At seventy7 we build brands and we tell brand stories, and every meeting with James seemed to write another chapter. I love his story and it’s fascinating to see how with his new venture ‘The Lonely Leader’, he is using his experiences to help inspire and motivate others.
Whatever your business, if you’re looking for something a little bit different to help your team, or you as an individual, then James is someone you should listen to.
John Whalley
Head of Branding and Brand Strategy at Seventy7
​
James had a massively positive impact on our staff when he delivered the Creating Unshakeable Resilience Training Programme. I would summarise his style as passion fused with authenticity. Passion in terms of the fact it is very evident how much he cares about helping both the personal and professional growth of his audience.
Authenticity in that he isn't afraid to explore the successes and failures of his career to illustrate his teaching and insights. This really resonated with the staff who all commented on the power of being able to blend theoretical coaching with practical real life experiences. Our group was diverse in terms of age and experience but James was able to inspire them all. We look forward to working with him again.
Johnathan Rayfield
Director Badenoch + Clark
I have had the great fortune to have gone through some of the best executive coaching and team building programs offered in a corporate setting. I can say with great certainty, that James Rule’s programs are at the very top of my list.
The impact of James’s leadership and team development programs were easily measured with increased individual performance and improved overall team culture. What was immeasurable was the immense impact James had on the team and myself with regards to professional & personal growth
Casey Newhouse
Global Commercial Director, Hyperfine
Working with James has been an absolutely invaluable experience for me as I embark on the exciting but arduous journey of building and growing a new business and all the complexities that brings. Through his warmth and relatability,
James has a unique way of building trust and relationships, allowing him to quickly understand my needs on both a personal and professional level. In a hectic daily schedule, James has become a key sounding board and asset to not only my business but my family. I thoroughly recommend his services.
Anthony Pears
CEO Gaspara Asset Management
Some people, you never forget the day you met them. They just have ....well....''IT''. Jimmy Rule is a one in a million...no actually one in a billion personality - and believe me I've met a LOT of ''so called'' leader mentors in my career. Right now as much as any other time in business history, directors need help to remain steely, single minded and steady in adversity - or the whole pack of cards will come a tumbling down.
This man has seen it, lived it - dealt with it like very few others could have. He KNOWS his game. I've already sent a couple of CEOs to him - they then booked him to speak in house. Without a doubt his guidance helped them hold their ship on the kind of solid course that negotiated the storms and dissolved the sleepless nights that are becoming more and more part of running any kind of business.
If you are the man or woman at the top - its bloody lonely .
Don't do this alone...call him RIGHT NOW.
Nicky Pattinson
Owner Niki Pattinson
​
Our brief to James was to lift, motivate and inspire the team after a torrid time navigating our way through Covid and lockdown, leaving everybody a little flat and mentally exhausted.
James presented his ‘Creating Unshakeable Resilience’ session to our business and he more than delivered what we required, raising the team for the next challenge.
James’s humility as he took you on his remarkable and ultimately successful journey captivated everybody. His style of delivery ensures that delegates remain engaged throughout.
His experiences clearly demonstrated that out of adversity, comes opportunity, and this resonated on a personal as well as professional level for all attendees in the session
Lisa Pollitt,
Purchasing Manager Care Shop
James had a massively positive impact on our staff when he delivered the Creating Unshakeable Resilience Training Programme. I would summarise his style as passion fused with authenticity. Passion in terms of the fact it is very evident how much he cares about helping both the personal and professional growth of his audience.
Authenticity in that he isn't afraid to explore the successes and failures of his career to illustrate his teaching and insights. This really resonated with the staff who all commented on the power of being able to blend theoretical coaching with practical real life experiences. Our group was diverse in terms of age and experience but James was able to inspire them all. We look forward to working with him again.
Johnathan Rayfield
Director Badenoch + Clark
“James excellently delivered a training course on “Creating Unshakeable Resilience” to me and all the management team. His style was engaging, his knowledge on the topic was superb and the course covered exactly what we wanted and needed as a team.
It raised the right questions for us throughout and provided some excellent tools and techniques we can all take away for both the benefit of the business and ourselves as people. We will certainly be using James again to deliver training to our team.”
Julian Wootton
Co-Founder GoBoat UK
I attended a fantastic workshop on the topic of “Creating Unshakeable Resilience” which James ran superbly. James is authentic, presents his thought-provoking topics very professionally, and is approachable and down to earth in nature.
Given all the unexpected challenges that 2020 has thrown to almost everyone, I would highly recommend reaching out to James to see how he can help and inspire your teams.
Simon Alison
Finance Senior Director, FP & A, Global Operations Smith & Nephew
As a first-time mentee, I am not ashamed to admit that I was nervous about how to start the journey (would it be right for me?). However, I needn’t have been. James could not be more approachable, modest and sincere.
​
I embarked upon the Leadership Accelerator Programme with James, which was highly tailored to my requirements, addressing some of weaknesses. This approach coupled with sporting parallels resonated strongly with me.
​
Each session was packed full of insight and stimulated a massive amount of self-reflection, motivating me to evaluate what I can do better - not just in my work life, but outside of work also. Frankly I was glued to each session we shared and I always looked forward to my Thursday morning slots. I should add that James is truly generous with his time, often following up and sharing further insight through WhatsApp messages.
​
For me, the time spent with James can distil down into ‘Practical Wisdom’. In a nutshell, James gives you wisdom – but in a way that you can readily weave into daily life.
Oliver Campbell
Finance Director, Hexagon Metrology Ltd
Having played rugby with James, as my captain, for several years, I had no hesitation in joining his ‘Leadership Accelerator’ programme and implementing his ‘Creating Unshakable Resilience’ programme for our UK team.
James is a natural leader and everything I know of him on the pitch, he is every bit and more in business and education. James is insightful, honest, relatable and challenging and everything I needed as I take my first steps into leadership. Working with James has allowed me the freedom and time to find answers, understand and educate myself as a leader and has given me clarity on how I want to carry myself and where I want to go in both my professional career and personal life.
Each session is packed with thought provoking conversation and content and I left every one excited to find ways of implementing and reflecting on what I’d just learnt. I truly looked forward to each session. James is a brilliant, engaging speaker and he delivers his message in an easy to follow manner. The lessons he has learnt throughout his impressive career are shared with passion and a genuine desire for you to succeed.
I would recommend James to anyone aspiring to be a leader, anyone in a leadership role at any level and anyone leading a team. It’s time well spent.
Karl Birch
National Sales Manager, Rocket Medical
James delivered a "CREATING UNSHAKEABLE RESILIENCE" session for our team and wow - we were absolutely inspired. In a time where a lot of people were struggling working and just functioning during lock down; James delivered an engaging and informative piece of work to a large group of us via a Microsoft Teams call.
Even though we were all physically separated, James' passion and unique style kept our entire team engaged and as a result we all left with individual learns that we are now putting into practice. If you are looking for some thought provoking, engaging and inspirational thought leadership for your team then this is definitely the man I would recommend.
The ideas were easy to follow, made sense and have certainly made improvements for me not just in my working life but in my personal life as well. Thank you James!
Hannah Quinn
Badenoch & Clark
To promote better health in our local communities, NHS organisations need to think and act differently. James is a true visionary and under his leadership we built a multi-faceted, groundbreaking partnership with Widnes Vikings Rugby Club. It allows us to reach people who may not have accessed traditional health services and deliver creative programmes that promote health, happiness and wellbeing. This work has won numerous awards including a prestigious HSJ award and the coveted Best Global Sponsorship award at the Leaders in Sport Conference.
James is a leader that I admire. I have witnessed his ability to always find the opportunity in adversity. He recruits great staff and develops them into a quality team that deliver results. He is an authentic leader and I would highly recommend listening to his insights as The Lonely Leader if you wish to develop your leadership abilities. It will be time well spent!
Dave Sweeney
Executive Director for Cheshire and Merseyside Health Care Partnership
In my capacity as Chair of the RFL and Super League I witnessed first hand the leadership of James during his tenure in the sport. Having won the coveted Super League Club of the Year award which recognised on and off field performance, James clearly knows how to develop and lead an organisation.
What always impressed me with James was his resilience. In the pressure cooker environment that is professional sport, the challenges can come thick and fast. James consistently demonstrated an ability to meet and overcome those challenges, frequently demonstrating real innovation in his strategies. The community engagement work his clubs delivered and the recent "Beat the Scrum" campaign illustrates this innovation perfectly. I was delighted to see James and his team recognised by winning the Best Global Sponsorship award for this campaign at the prestigious Leaders in Sport Conference.
It is exciting to see what James has developed presenting and coaching as The Lonely Leader. He is an engaging speaker and his story and the lessons he has learned over many years in elite sport will certainly inspire his audience.
Brian Barwick
Former Chair Rugby Football League and Super League
Former Chief Executive Football Association
Former Head BBC Sport
James delivered a motivational talk to our full staff force at Head Office. From start to finish, they were all deeply engaged in the presentation. Despite there being significant disparity in age, experience and level of responsibility within the team, James was able to utilise his insights and personal experiences to resonate with everyone.
As CEO, one of the most rewarding aspects of the talk was that my staff have continued to talk about it weeks after it had been delivered. Each one of them was able to take parts from the presentation and apply it to their everyday roles. I’ve already noticed a difference in internal communications between staff and I’m sure we’ll continue to see further progression in some of the other areas that James talked about.
Lee Jenkinson
CEO Elite of Pro Sports
James has recently delivered a range of Academic and Industry related work for Leeds Beckett and specifically within the Carnegie School of Sports, Sport Management group. This work was not only highly relevant and provided a unique insight into the contemporary way in which Sports Businesses of today genuinely work-it also motivated the students and engaged them in a way rarely seen in Higher Education.
James is able to provide evidence to support ‘real-world’ case studies and he narrates these in such a way as to bring them to life in an exciting and bespoke way to suit the audience and environment he is working in. I have no hesitation in recommending James he will be a major success for you and the appropriate development of your business.
Nick Halafihi
Head of Sport Management Leeds Beckett University
Having heard James present as The Lonely Leader I was so impressed that I decided to work with him in an executive coaching capacity. Having owned and managed my own business for fifteen years, I can now see I had become comfortable in my leadership style.
Working with James, I was taken out of my comfort zone and I found his approach both refreshing and inspirational. His coaching has given me a new perspective and as a result I have implemented strategies that have helped me professionally and indeed personally.
John Darling
Owner and CEO of Darlings of Chelsea
“The Lonely Leader, Lessons to my Teenage Self” was a fantastic opportunity for our Sixth Form students. James gave an extremely valuable and interesting insight into work within the Sports Industry but also his own life experiences and what he has learned. He gave our students some real life insights and the motivation to go and achieve anything they put their mind to. The analogy of not necessarily being the most talented, but the one who put the most work in and having the right attitude was taken on-board and was talked about extensively post presentation by the students.
They really enjoyed coming up with their own dream and how they may achieve this, which was another very good post presentation discussion between themselves. We can’t wait to get James back to talk to our other year groups and I would definitely recommend James to other schools and sixth forms.
Mr J Windeatt - Head of Sixth Form
Hull Collegiate School
​
Having listened to James and The Lonely Leader Seminar, I experienced the benefit of listening to a new voice from a new sector. I found myself reflecting on where I was and where I wanted to go. James shared a number of his learnings as a leader with passion and authenticity which really resonated with me. I left feeling energised and motivated and made some immediate changes to how I operate. I have been delighted with the results.
Paul Taylor
General Manager TGI Friday
Winner International General Manager of the Year
During our respective tenures James and I worked together for close to thirteen years. James is a natural leader and I have seen first hand the positive impact he had on the clubs he ran. I have always admired the work ethic and professionalism that James brought to his roles. Like many leaders he has faced numerous challenges but has always found a way to overcome them, which is credit to his resilience and tenacity.
James has some core principles that he has sought to embed in his clubs. A quality youth structure, a ground breaking community engagement programme and the recruitment and development of quality management teams. James has demonstrated an ability to recruit staff and develop them into high performing management teams. Five members of these management teams have gone on to hold Chief Executive roles in our sport which is testimony to his role as a leader.
It is no surprise that James has taken that desire to help staff develop into a new sector as a speaker under the brand of The Lonely Leader. His philosophies and personal experiences ensure that he can engage with a wide cross section of professionals. He is a passionate and authentic speaker who draws a number of personal lessons he has learned within the sporting world that can help individuals and businesses improve their performance.
Nigel Wood
Chief Executive of Rugby League International Federation
Former Chief Executive Rugby Football League and Super League
I felt that the talk from James was one of the best we have had this year! It was great to hear what he has learned from his own personal experiences and the way he relayed this information to us was great.
Everyone enjoyed it and I'm sure took his messages on board. I thought the section on work ethic was an extremely important one for everyone to hear, especially since it isn't a topic usually covered by other external speakers, and is arguably one of the most important things for people to develop. The talk was engaging and relatable, and from what I've been told everyone agrees that it was one of the best we've had!
Jennifer - Head Girl 2019-20
Hull Collegiate School
​
I found the Creating Unshakeable Resilience training programme engaging, insightful, easy to follow and extremely worthwhile. James's use of personal examples made it authentic, unlike some other consultants who just bleat advice at you and don’t explain how this can and has helped others in practice. It also helps that he comes across as a really likeable guy!
Kim Dunlop
Principal Consultant Badenoch + Clark
James was our CEO for many years at Hull FC. He came into the role at a very young age and immediately set about making an impact with his energy, work ethic and willingness to lead by example.
The passion for Rugby League in the City of Hull is as intense as anything I have seen in the world. To be a leader in that market you need to have huge amounts of resilience. Every decision you make is scrutinised, debated and analysed. Invariably everyone will have an opinion on what you are doing and won’t be afraid to share that opinion with you.
James operated in that space for many years and delivered on and off field success. His positivity is infectious and his leadership really got the best out of our staff. He was always an outstanding communicator, a skill that he now utilises heading The Lonely Leader. As a motivational speaker or mentor he has a compelling story to share and the skills and experience to genuinely help people improve and realise their potential as leaders.
Kath Hetherington
Former Chairperson and major shareholder Hull FC
​
Having had the privilege of listening to James during his time at Widnes Vikings, he always seemed to be fighting an uphill battle, leading a small club with limited resources into competition with not only bigger rivals in his own sport, but also the big box office appeal of nearby Premier League football clubs.
But who doesn’t love a ‘Rocky’ story? They are always compelling, especially when they have such a committed, passionate and authentic hero figure as James.
Battling an almost freakish injury crisis that robbed the team of many key players over more than two seasons, as well as dealing with increasing disquiet from the fans, James rolled up his sleeves, dug in and stayed in the fight. Showing real resilience, he kept Widnes Vikings in the top tier against all the odds for six seasons.
At seventy7 we build brands and we tell brand stories, and every meeting with James seemed to write another chapter. I love his story and it’s fascinating to see how with his new venture ‘The Lonely Leader’, he is using his experiences to help inspire and motivate others.
Whatever your business, if you’re looking for something a little bit different to help your team, or you as an individual, then James is someone you should listen to.
John Whalley
Head of Branding and Brand Strategy at Seventy7
​
James offered unbelievable insight into the day-to-day running of a professional sports team, providing an honest and in depth-look at what is required to succeed in the sport industry. In a shake-up to the conventional lecture/seminar work, James gave the students a guest talk and additional workshops discussing the skills and providing challenges students will have to face entering the world of professional sport. Students received real-world examples of what occurs behind the scenes, beyond what is seen on social media and the news which they found exciting and different to what academics can provide to help them learn. The students were gripped on James’ every word, interested in his career off and on the pitch, this does not always happen with every guest speaker which is testament to James. I sincerely hope James will come into the university again in the future to share his excellent insight into the industry.
John Myers
Leeds Beckett University
I was recently a delegate at one of James Webinar, I could resonate with so much of the content . Sometimes the obvious is staring you in the face when your running around at 100 miles an hour juggling full time working, family life and keeping everyone happy and you just need to hear this from someone else you can relate to that you're not alone! James for me is this person, clearly, he has lots of experience within senior leadership roles and the challenges that come with this . Resilience, perseverance and positivity are evident in James personality and style and I left with a positive feeling and a doable follow up action plan for myself to take away and use. James has an excellent coaching style and would recommend him to others looking for a point in the right direction particularly in these unprecedented times !
Emily Pennack
Development Manager Hymers College
Following the 'Creating Unshakeable Resilience' training programme I asked for feedback on the session during the Team Meeting that we had afterwards. Each and every Consultant commented that the training was interesting, relatable and also extremely engaging, which is pretty difficult to achieve in the new virtual world we find ourselves in. The trainer (James) brilliantly connected his previous experiences and real life examples into vehicles and mechanisms to encourage development and personal growth. I really enjoyed the session and have certainly taken a number of actions away to consider for myself.
Jason Martin
Manager Badenoch + Clark
When James approached me with the opportunity of joining the Sports Business Accelerator Mastermind, I had already begun to consider what my placement opportunities and career path would be.
I was questioning my all-round mindset in terms of the way I approached everything in life, from overcoming challenges and processing criticism, to working relationships and the pursuit of opportunities.
Working with James has allowed me to find answers to those questions and noticeably accelerate my progress and self-improvement. I have more clarity in where I want to go in life. The knowledge I have acquired has enabled me to become a more enhanced individual in my studies, my work, my relationships with others and with myself.
James’ coaching with myself was so valuable and managed to open new doors for me. The tools and tips I have learnt have boosted my self-confidence, resilience and have really helped me to develop strategies to cope with adversity. It has also allowed me to make significant progress with regard to public speaking and presenting with confidence, which is something that has always been challenging for me. This course is the best thing I have done to aid my progression.
Bronwyn Tagg
​
Leeds Beckett University
I’ve been mentored and managed by James since late 2019. At that point in my career I was struggling and I didn’t really have any sense of direction with regard to my future in golf. James has a wealth of high performance knowledge, especially regarding mindset and resilience and I have benefitted enormously from the coaching he has given me in these areas.
He has developed a support network for me and has created an environment for me to excel. Not only has my practice, work ethic and performances improved, my overall attitude to golf and life itself has improved. My results speak volumes and the positivity for my future in the sport is at an all time high. I can’t thank James enough for giving me support and a second chance. Onwards and upwards for 2021!
Steve Robins
Professional Golfer
The ‘Creating Unshakeable Resilience’ training programme was a highly-enjoyable, informative, and engaging course. It was delivered in such a way that staff from all departments benefited tremendously.
Knowing the experience that James has had in his professional career, made the advice he gave that much more powerful and applicable to real-life scenarios.
I highly recommend James and this course for anyone serious about developing in not only their professional career, but in their personal life also
Ryan Price
Head of Marketing at Cage Warriors
James has worked with me in an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development capacity
His input and assistance on improving process and ironing out inefficient practices have been invaluable. His experience in working through challenging, but necessary changes, and subsequent implementation, has been most useful.
John Bell
Director, Pennine Energy
I participated in a range of training programmes such as 'Creating Unshakeable Resilience' in addition to some individual performance coaching with James.
I benefited massively from these sessions. I had recently taken on a management role within a company and it was great to receive some ‘outside of work’ guidance. I have taken numerous lessons from the programmes and have applied them to all aspects of professional role and my home life.
James is a very grounded person and I found it easy to speak to him in the 1-1 sessions. He effortlessly created a free-flowing chat where we managed to talk about how to structure and improve my work. It was great to learn from someone with such a large amount of experience. I initially was hesitant to do these sessions but I have learnt a great deal in such a short space of time. Thank you very much.’
Ben Magowan,
Manager, GoBoat UK
During my one on one sessions with James he shared a number of his learnings as a leader throughout his career demonstrating both passion and energy. During and since the end of the course I have found myself reflecting on where I was and where I want to go as a leader. I made some immediate changes to how I lead my team and coach my staff to achieve the best results for the business.
Some of the learnings were not to my initial style or within my comfort zone, but with the help and guidance from James I persisted with them and learnt to take the ideas and focus my energies into implementing them and getting the best out of my daily performance both at work and at home.
Tasia Cooke,
Chief Operations Officer Darlings of Chelsea
The sales team and I at Darlings of Chelsea took part in the ‘Creating Unshakable Resilience’ course. It was a 2 session Teams call with James a few months back when the country was just coming out of lock down. At the time the team and everyone else in the country were struggling to reconnect with each other. Not James, straight off the bat he was into his stride using his own life experiences to hit home the highs and lows of elite professional sport and how they relate to us as individuals and as a business. Core messages included that you don’t have to be the best to succeed, you have to have the right work ethic, communication system and focus on recovery.
This resonated with the team and myself. Since then as things have started to open back up the team has bonded not just on a work level but also on the social side as well. Thanks James appreciate your time, energy and tenacity
Kent Leadbeater,
Logistics Director, Darlings of Chelsea
I can thoroughly recommend James’ Creating Unshakeable Resilience program. The combination of James’ extensive career in senior leadership roles and episodes from his own personal life, ensure that Creating Unshakeable Resilience is a must experience training program.
In today’s world of uncertainty and trepidation stress levels can be higher than ever. James’ course comes from real life experiences and let’s you know how to recognise the signs of stress and how to put in place measures that help you deal with issues that you may not have experienced before.
Gaining a sustainable work life balance, dealing with difficult problems and building unshakeable resilience are the outcomes of this terrific and aptly resonant training programme. You can’t afford to miss it!
Paul Holmes
Marketing Manager, Care Shop
I undertook a number of executive coaching sessions with James which I found hugely beneficial.
I found the insights into building high performance habits particularly helpful. James has provided me with a range of tools and strategies that I can use to continue to grow personally and professionally. He was particularly helpful in making me understand where my energy was at its highest and the benefits of aligning those windows with tackling my most important tasks. He prompted real reflection on the importance of exercise, rest/recuperation and diet in order to enable me to truly optimise my performance.
James also ensured that I thought hard about how I could improve my personal life with family and friends as a way of sustaining high performance at work and ensuring I maintained an empowered mindset. He helped me re-establish work life balance, something that I had historically subconsciously neglected.
As a result of working with James I have completely changed the way I think about things, am generally a happier person, and can identify when I am slipping back into old habits and now have tools and strategies to rectify them
Steve Lenihan
Commercial Finance Manager, Care Shop
I worked with James as our keynote speaker at our recent conference and I have to say that from the start James got us as a business and understood what our challenges and opportunities where.
The keynote address to our delegates by James was inspirational drawing from his wealth of personal and business experiences and was very impactful.
Following the session, I had numerous attendees approach me to tell me how it really made them reflect and assess on how they were operating and what changes they were going to make to improve their performance.
I'm looking forward to working with James on other projects in the future around Leadership and Resilience and can highly recommend him
Mark Ward
Human Resources Director at Bunzl
‘My motivation was as much about driving the business forward as it was about mindfulness and my personal wellbeing. Having witnessed the impact James had on my fellow colleagues I decided to engage James in a high performance coaching capacity.
To date, I’m delighted with the progress we’ve made. Our sessions have pushed me to reflect on how I operate in my personal life and professional role, and I feel much better equipped to tackle problems in both settings. I’ve become more resilient and having embraced a number of James's suggested new habits I have enhanced my mindset and levels of performance. I enjoy taking some of our discussion points out into the wider world, often sparking conversations with friends and family that are both interesting and constructive.
I genuinely look forward to each session as a valuable part of my continued growth and development'
Joshua Guy
Director at Pennine Energy Group
Ever since I can remember, I have always been part of a team whether that be rugby, the Army or latterly as an insurance broker. So when I set up my own company this year I found working on my own exciting but also a daunting and, at times, a very lonely place. I felt I knew what my company was set up to achieve, with really exciting goals, however, in retrospect I was lacking the clarity in how to get there.
I was told by someone very close to me that I should consider a business/life coach and it has been one of my best decisions yet. I rang my old friend and teammate Jimmy, who had set up The Lonely Leader. He has completed changed my approach to the my business, as well as my whole mindset. Jimmy has given me the tools and advice to find the clarity I required and subsequently that has boosted my confidence, motivation and my mindset.
I am so pleased I picked up the phone and I honestly couldn’t recommend or thank The Lonely Leader/Jimmy enough.
Angus Maclean
Angus Maclean Consultants
James has experience and knowledge that allow him to move between offering support as a high performance coach, mentor and business consultant. Having worked with him over a significant period of time I have benefited from his diverse range of support in both my personal life and professional role.
He has particularly helped me find clarity, become more resilient and evolve as a leader and business owner
Grant Sweeney
Owner GoBoat
My husband is in love with James Rule.
I have just completed The Leadership Accelerator Programme after struggling with managing my work-life balance. James’s sessions have pushed me to question where I am, why I do what I do and equipped me with the tools and methods to be more resilient and tackle problems in a more constructive, and less self-destructive way. He manged to open the lid on not only professional performance but made me look at personal life in a new light.
The sessions have been insightful and enjoyable, and I loved how our conversations would bounce and encourage new ideas – some so simple but thoroughly effective. The moment I knew it was really working and changing my mindset, was when my husband asked me to thank James for giving him his wife back! I hadn’t realised how badly my working habits were affecting my home life.
I would encourage anyone who is struggling to embark on these mentoring sessions, its game changing. I have the resilience now in my work life and more importantly I have a very happy husband!
Alison Cox
Senior Finance Manager at Hexagon Metrology Limited
I was referred to James and The Lonely Leader by my Operations Director at a global-leading recruitment consultancy, during a time of personal and professional challenge. Following a sustained period of successful growth of my business, I was about to embark on increased responsibilities and a business transformation project resulting for a promotion and change of role and remit, but had never felt less-equipped or personally ready to handle this next stage of my career. In hindsight, this was predominantly down to me being burnt out from overworking and not having focused enough on my own personal development and wellbeing. Anxiety had started to creep in and I was starting to doubt myself in a way I had never done before.
I entered my first session of the ‘The Leadership Accelerator’ programme with James Rule expecting to speak solely about my business transformation plans and my professional skill set and tools. Instead, the theme for the first few sessions very much focused on me as a person, improving my work-life integration and coaching the realisation that to get the best out of myself professionally I needed to make sure that I was managing and auditing my own wellbeing and life outside of work with the same respect and discipline with which I treated my professional business. James shared with me and embedded many tools and techniques such as ‘The Circles of Life’ and ‘Clarity Three’, that helped me perceive common challenges in a completely different light, whilst constantly using excellent analogies and real-life practical examples from my current work challenges to bring these tools and concepts to life.
Following 10 hour-long sessions with James on The Leadership Accelerator course, I can honestly say I have benefitted immensely. I feel armed with so many more tools to both plan ahead strategically long term, for both my business and personal development, but also to handle day-to-day challenges much more effectively using the guidance and insight James has shared. I feel more stable, balanced, confident and authoritative and, when any warning signs of work or personal anxiety start to creep in, I now believe I am well-equipped to understand and manage these challenges better as a result of the support and techniques James has offered and taught me. This has ultimately resulted in a significant upturn in both my professional performance and personal happiness, all whilst my business transformation project is progressing smoothly and successfully.
Having completed an initial ten sessions on The Leadership Accelerator programme, I continue to regularly speak with The Lonely Leader in a professional consultancy and troubleshooting capacity, where James is providing practical guidance and strategic advice on the core challenges within my business. This is proving equally beneficial and having an external sounding board to challenge my thinking and validate the decisions I’m making is proving invaluable. These sessions also provide the platform to make sure I’m keeping on track with my own personal development and not slipping on the techniques learned during The Leadership Accelerator programme, revisiting any particular areas as and when required.
In summary, working with James and the Lonely Leader has made a very significant improvement to both the way I perceive work and its challenges, but also the armoury of tools I have to deal with them, which has definitely enhanced me as both a professional and the person I am around my family and friends. I cannot recommend their services highly enough
Stephen Wooldridge
Manager - NHS – Northern England
I was introduced to James and we meshed right away with similar backgrounds and views on development, coaching, and leadership. As the Director of Leadership Development, I was working on a new executive development program and James was a great partner for this project. His communication, professionalism, patience, and flexibility on content allowed us to effectively deliver meaningful group and 1:1 sessions for our hi-potential leaders. We look forward to working with James in the future with our current programs and any new ones on the horizon
Noah Ruden
Director, Commercial Leadership Coach, Smith and Nephew
Having the opportunity to be a part of The Leadership Accelerator Program and work with James Rule has been transformative. The in-depth look into my personal and professional life that he and I get done goes to the heart of how I think, perceive, and act.
James has helped me to see that leadership is not just about my job but about who I am. I have learned to see myself more congruently-what I do at work, who I am at home and what leaders do.
I would recommend James and The Leadership Accelerator Program to anyone who wants to lead better in life.
Nick Davis
Director of Sales , Smith and Nephew
I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the Creating Unshakeable Resilience course and how much it has subsequently made me reflect on how I live my life and where I want to make changes. I think in my generation, many of us have never been taught the skills of reflection and it was great firstly to have time within a busy working schedule to do this, and then to be supplied with some really helpful tips and habits to incorporate into daily life to improve resilience.
Many thanks once again for sharing your expertise - it would be great if more of my NHS colleagues could benefit from attending the course!
Louise Downey
Consultant Ophthalmologist (Medical Retina), Associate Medical Director Ophthalmology
Working as a Director of Sales in the Medical Device industry, I have been lucky enough to view a variety keynote speakers, take multiple developmental courses, and always experience new/different types of training… James Rule’s Lonely Leader is uniquely different!
James has a great talent in making you feel comfortable right from the start, he genuinely listens, which is so important for quality collaboration, trust and development. James has introduced a new way of thinking for me, a type of “looking within” that I didn’t know existed, utilizing key things like: The Clarity Tool/Clarity 3, Circles of Life, and the Board of You.
James Rule’s Lonely Leader has not only helped me gain a newfound perspective in regards to being a better leader, but much more importantly, he’s given me tools, perspective and clarity in what it means to be a better PERSON.
John Tiernan
Director of Sales, Smith & Nephew
James has worked as an executive coach and mentor with me and several members of my senior management team. His coaching has been integral in enhancing our resilience and improving individual and team performance. We look forward to continuing to working with him in the future.
Barbara Meeks
Managing Director, Care Shop
Thank you for delivering the Creating Unshakeable Resilience sessions as part of the HUTH ICP leadership programme. I have found them to be extremely beneficial in both my personal and professional life . Taking time out to ensure that you are concentrating on your own health and wellbeing is extremely important, we don’t do this normally. Being able to share your insights with my team will be extremely beneficial.
I have learnt some new tools to assist with the above, The Circles of Life, what you can and cannot control , what December 2023 looks like etc . I have my journal and will take the time to complete. Thank you for sharing with us.
Wendy Magee
Head Nurse for Cardiology
I took part in the Creating Unshakeable Resilience Training Programme offered to me through the NHS. I have to be honest I knew I needed to work on my personal resilience and therefore this word attracted me. But I was not convinced, having never taken part in anything like this I thought I will listen in and then do my own thing if it’s not for me. However, it was completely brilliant and I was hooked. This programme gave me tools for both life in general and professionally which have absolutely increased my resilience and if I am honest changed my life. These tools have genuinely altered my approach to life and consequently given me more enjoyment from life. Amongst other things I am more productive in my tasks and more present in my life. I can not recommend this course enough. This has given me a starting block to continue on this journey, focusing on specific aspects of my professional needs, a journey I am excited for and am embracing.
Claire
Advanced Clinical Practitioner
James's perspective and holistic approach to life in general was a breath of fresh air. As simple as some of his concepts are, it is the practical way of applying them to our lives and the accountability measures with specific time frames that are important. They will ultimately lead to longevity and consistent change / improvement in our personal and professional lives.
Dustin McGinnis
Director of Sales, Smith & Nephew
James has a unique ability to connect with his audience, whether in a group or 1 on 1, which allows the listener to comfortably share things openly. In doing so, the sessions are remarkably effective. From talking with my peers who are also in this program, it is clear that James brought a unique perspective to each individual and guided us along different paths that we each needed to take. For me, we spent considerable time reflecting on how I balance the demands of work with home life, relationships, self-care and the like. James draws upon his experience in a way that allows me to reflect on my own situation and always follows that up with powerful, pointed questions that force me to think. That kind of self-discovery is why his lessons stick. I would encourage others to try his program because I can assure you, your leaders will walk away with a different perspective than what they entered with.
Laurence Phelps
Area Vice President, Smith & Nephew
The Lonely Leader was a great leadership/mentorship program that brought me a lot of value and insight that I am now applying regularly. I learned to be more intentional with my days to maximize all aspects of my work AND home life. His coaching is not just about maximizing work performance
Luke Morey
Director of Sales, Smith & Nephew
I have had the fortunate experience of my company (Smith and Nephew) to partner with James Rule and hire his services as a Performance Coach/Mentor to a selected Leadership Accelerator development program within our organization. James provides a unique approach unlike any others that I have been involved with in this capacity before. He facilitates my development by taking a holistic approach as a sales leader by helping me to tap into not only areas I would like to focus on and improve in from my professional life, but also explore and take an introspective look at my personal life outside of work. I have had numerous mentors throughout my career and taken part in other leadership training programs, but James’ approach in exploring the Circles of Life, utilizing The Clarity Three, and Board of You provide an insight to my leadership style and how it is influenced by all the things in my life. In turn, as I gained an awareness from his coaching, I have been empowered by James to address the things I feel I need to change and not what someone else feels is important. The Lonely Leader/James Rule is a proven and I highly recommend his services if you have a desire to become a stronger Leader and an even better person!
Craig Batten
Director of Sales, Sports Medicine, Smith & Nephew
Having worked with James in a few formats now I am confident in saying I always leave with a refreshed perspective and plenty of actionable food for thought. James’s sessions are both insightful, resonant and easy to digest. His common sense approach and business acumen means that regardless of the course or requirement, each delegate leaves with something individually that put in practice, makes a big difference to performance. Personally, as a mentor and in delegate sessions I have only ever had gratitude and great feedback and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend James and The Lonely Leader. He truly understands business requirements, impact and what can be done to find resolution and bring the best out in everyone. Thank you James.
Hannah Quinn
Executive Procurement Recruitment Consultant, Public and NfP Sector, Adecco
I have had the pleasure of working with James as part of a new program developing senior commercial leaders at Smith & Nephew
James has been a big part of the success of this program!
James is deeply engaged and the feedback from the team is tremendous.
Not only does James use listening, challenging, and thinking outside of each persons world but he challenges these leaders to do the same. It has been so successful that we have extended his involvement well beyond the original scope.
If a business is looking to attract, develop and retain their top talent, I highly recommend using James as part of their ongoing processes.
Kathleen Legere
Director, Strategic HR Business Partner at Smith & Nephew
I took part in a Lonely Leader course, Creating Unshakeable Resilience with a follow up 1 to 1 recently. It was one of the best training courses I’ve done. Practical ideas and suggestions that were well backed up by examples drawn from James’s personal experience in management training, life and also from the field of elite sport. It made for an engaging and informative course with lots of content to take away, reflect on and implement in my own practice.
James Bailey
Consultant Haematologist and Medical Director, Clinical Support Health Group
My company hired James to work with an elite group of sales leaders, and the feedback that we received was outstanding. I highly recommend him to any individuals or companies looking to hire an executive coach.
Megan Gallo
Director, Strategic Human Resources Business Partner at Smith & Nephew
The Lonely Leader program is far more than just a business development program. This program teaches the value of being a better leader inside and outside of a business setting. It validates that a structured and happy person outside of business will be a happier and more productive leader inside of the business as well. There is no doubt in my mind that an engaged participant of this program will learn, grow and lead with a renewed perspective on life and business. Give it a valiant effort, and you will no doubt be thanking yourself, your team and James for the time and capital investment. Worth every cent and second.
Justin Wheeler
Territory Vice President , Smith & Nephew
When starting my executive coaching sessions with James, I expected them to be similar to many other leadership programs and philosophies. I quickly realized, this was a whole new piece of the puzzle I'd been sorely missing to be the most effective version of myself and the best leader for our team.
While those core principles of putting your team first, ensuring it's not about you, and living the grind you expect of your team will never change, James' teachings focus on improving yourself behind the scenes to make you a more effective leader everyday.
What's better, these changes aren't expected to take place overnight. Just like the short and long term goals i set for myself professionally, James has 10 circles of life and his focus is continuous improvement in these 10 areas. By setting goals in these segments and improving my monthly scores, even incrementally, I've noticed significant growth both personally and professionally.
Combining my long term growth by utilizing the circles of life with the short term benefits of his clarity 3 model, his doorframe transitions, and his box breathing techniques, my overall outlook and leadership has exponentially improved.
Thank you James!!!
Zac Litton
Regional Sales Manager, Smith & Nephew
I had an excellent experience working with James Rule. His holistic approach encouraged me to step back and reflect on how I can be my best in all facets of life. James is able to draw from his deep leadership experiences to provide sound and relevant coaching advice. Each session was unique and tailored to me – in an open yet confidential environment. James goes beyond the business-self and focuses on strengthening the inner-self. This creates lasting change.
Austin Ewing
Area Vice President, Strategic Sales, Smith & Nephew
I found the Creating Unshakeable Resilience sessions interesting and they gave me lots to reflect upon. It was useful to examine what creates burnout and what strategies help to avoid this. The human needs information & 30 day goals have been especially helpful going forward. I also found the use of sporting analogies made the examples relatable and easier to adapt into achievable goals.
Thanks again, I enjoyed your sessions
Beth Featherstone
Hepatology Community Specialist / Research Nurse
Thanks so much for your time and effort in putting the Creating Unshakeable Resilience sessions together for us at HUTH. Although I have done some resilience training before, your approach was very different. It was full of practical tips in thinking about resilience and incorporating this in one's daily routine. I have already started to think about the 'Circle of Life' and putting two priorities as my personal development goal for each month. The 'email test' was another good way of reflecting on how to declutter elements which add to stress and reduce productivity.
I really enjoyed the one-to-one session as it helped me reflect on my own practice and areas of development.
Dr Sanjay Gupta
Consultant Paediatrician (Diabetes and Endocrinology)
I left the military following a 22 year career 8 months ago. On starting my new appointment I came across James at the lonely leader. Working with James has been a game changer for me, both for my professional growth and my personal life. He has an incredible talent for unlocking one's potential and guiding them towards success. James doesn't just offer advice, he truly listens and understands and tailors his approach to my unique needs.
His unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in my abilities are a motivating force that continues to drive me forward. I wholeheartedly recommend James to anyone looking to unlock their full potential and achieve greatness. Thank you James for your continued support.
Richard Moore
Military Talent Acquisition, REME Veteran.
James has delivered his Creating Unshakeable Resilience programme to a broad range of our staff. Irrespective of role, seniority or experience participants have provided very positive feedback on the impact the programme has had on their mindset, resilience and performance. One individual even stated that it had been "life changing." We look forward to continuing our partnership with James and The Lonely Leader to support the growth and development of other NHS staff.
Matt Smith
Organisational Development Manager/Coaching and Mentoring Lead
I registered for Creating Unshakeable Resilience as a ‘quality check’ for myself, I felt I was in a good place, I’ve been a leader for over 20 years but I wanted to test this out. After my sessions with James I quickly found myself quoting materials shared. After the first week, I had used one saying three times due to its impact. I have introduced new questions into my self-evaluation routine to be sure I stay strong. I’m so pleased I invested my time.
Mel Leedham
Head of Patient Administration CAS
The Creating Unshakeable Resilience sessions with James were invaluable. We all live busy lives and need to take time to reflect. The information received from James is borne out of experience and extensive research and the advice he offers is essential for anyone in a managerial position He provides multiple hacks for modern life and at least one of them will resonate.
Colin Vize
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Hull University Teaching Hospitals
II enjoyed the sequence of sessions in the Creating Unshakeable Resilience Programme and the one to one coaching session with James. I embraced the need for a monthly MOT and the tools shared to empower my mindset. I also appreciated the guidance to reframe adversity as an opportunity for growth. I will continue to reframe and combine that process with the gratitude practices as an antidote to stress. James really drew my attention to the importance of mental and physical recovery for enhancing resilience. I am reflecting on how I will improve my morning and evening routines in order to support that recovery process.
Dr. Nirmala Soundararajan
Consultant Anaesthetist, NHS
I have found the creating unshakeable resilience sessions followed by a one to one coaching session with James to be invaluable. They have made me challenge my behaviours that have become the norm and see the importance of focussing on my own health and wellbeing. James includes many personal examples and his supportive and understanding delivery makes everything relatable and gives confidence that they will make a difference. Many practical tips to embed in my work and home life, an extremely useful investment of my time.
Nicky Gilchrist
Head of Therapies, NHS
I have recently partaken in the Creating Unshakeable Resilience Programme , followed by a one to one coaching session.
I have benefited hugely from this and really enjoyed the course, the one to one coaching helped keep me accountable and continue to implement strategies for specific issues that have arisen, such as imposter syndrome as I return to work post maternity leave and time management to fit in revision etc. Thank you so much for this wonderful resource and help, your enthusiasm for keeping people healthy and functioning is inspiring!
Rachel Smith
NHS Intensive Care ST5