Leadership in 5
Execution without excuses. Five minutes. One insight. No wasted words.
Leadership In 5 is the podcast for founders and executives who are done with vague advice and tired of hearing “just communicate better” like it’s a strategy.
I’m James Mayhew. I’ve served as Chief Culture Officer, coached hundreds of leaders, and made the thousand-plus execution mistakes so you don’t have to. I work with high-growth companies that are scaling fast — but who still want to lead with values, not ego.
Each episode delivers one sharp insight you can act on. You’ll hear practical guidance built on clarity, not charisma. No theory. No fluff. Just real leadership tools that work in real companies with real people.
This show exists to help you stop over-functioning, stop repeating yourself, and stop holding it all together just to keep the wheels turning. You deserve a business that works without breaking you.
The show is grounded in The IDP Way, a leadership system built on Integrity, Dignity, and Prosperity. If those words resonate, you’ll feel at home here. And if they challenge you? Even better. Growth starts with honesty.
Want a free companion to the show?
Download "99+ Questions That Create Clarity" at NextQuestionGuide.com
It’s the simplest tool I know to start shifting your team from confused to confident.
Thanks for listening... and for leading.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 3 minutes
- Episodes
- 39
- Years Active
- 2025
19. Ownership Is Personal
EP19: Ownership Is Personal
Arc: It’s All Personal
Theme: What "ownership" actually looks like inside a growing company, and how founder-led companies can create the conditions for it to thrive.
It’s o…
18. Presence Is Personal
EP18: Presence Is Personal
Arc: It’s All Personal
Theme: Presence is the multiplier that makes your systems and strategies actually work
If you’re always available, you’re probably reacting, too deep in…
17. You’re Not Leading a System—You’re Leading People
EPISODE 17: You’re Not Leading a System—You’re Leading People
Arc: It’s All Personal (Part 1 of 5)
Your systems don’t create excellence — your people do.
In this first episode of the It’s All Personal s…
Getting Work Done Isn’t... Obvious?
Momentum isn’t always progress.
In this episode, James tackles one of the most costly assumptions in growing companies — believing that your team “just knows” how to execute.
At 20–100 employees, “good…
The Difference Between Alignment and Agreement
Episode 15: The Difference Between Alignment and Agreement
Series: Execution Is Not a Pep Talk
When everyone nods... but no one follows through—was there really alignment?
This episode dives into the cr…
Is it *Really* a Communication Problem?
Episode 14: Is it*Really* a Communication Problem?
The project missed the mark. The timeline slipped. The results weren’t what anyone hoped for.
And in the post-mortem, someone finally said it:
“We just…
The Drift Is the Danger
EP13: The Drift Is the Danger
Leadership in 5 | Execution Is Not a Pep Talk
Is your team really aligned—or just drifting quietly?
This episode unpacks how teams slide out of focus without ever realizing…
If You Want Something Done Right...
EP12: If You Want Something Done Right…
Leadership in 5 | Execution Is Not a Pep Talk
What if doing it yourself is the problem… not the solution?
This episode confronts the hidden cost of founder rescue…
Suffocating Excuses
EP11: Suffocating Excuses
Leadership in 5 | Execution Is Not a Pep Talk
When excuses stack up—what are they hiding?
This episode explores how well-meaning leaders accidentally give or accept excuses, an…
They Want to Help but Don’t Know How
Title: They Want to Help but Don’t Know How
Arc: Execution Is Not a Pep Talk
When it feels like your team is just waiting on you…
Maybe they’re not slacking off.
Maybe they want to help... but just don’t…
How the Desperation Mindset Destroys Your Leadership
When the pressure rises, what kind of leader are you?
This episode explores the dangerous shift from tension to desperation, and how it rewires your leadership, your team’s trust, and the health of yo…
Stop Saying “We Need to Execute Better"
Title: Stop Saying “We Need to Execute Better”
When a founder says, “We need to execute better,” it sounds like strategy, but it’s usually a signal, a symptom.
And a cover for something deeper.
In this …
Don’t Trust Your Memory
EP07: Don’t Trust Your Memory
Leadership in 5 | Earned Authority
At some point, every founder realizes their brain just isn’t enough.
You used to remember everything. But now, things are slipping—and it…
Why Your Team Isn’t Stepping Up (Even Though They Want To)
EP06: Why Your Team Isn’t Stepping Up (Even Though They Want To)
Leadership in 5 | Earned Authority
If your team isn’t stepping up, it might not be a motivation issue—it might be a leadership pattern.
I…
The Bottleneck You Didn’t Mean to Build
EP05: The Bottleneck You Didn’t Mean to Build
Leadership in 5 | Earned Authority
Most founders don’t mean to become the bottleneck—but they do.
Not out of ego, but out of pressure. Fear. A drive to prot…
You Don’t Need to Be the Expert
EP04: You Don’t Need to Be the Expert
Leadership in 5 | Earned Authority
Founders often carry a quiet pressure to have all the answers. But leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—…
Alignment Is the Highest Form of Clarity
EP03: Alignment Is the Highest Form of Clarity
Leadership in 5 | Leadership Foundations
Just because you said it, doesn’t mean it’s clear.
In this episode, James breaks down why so many execution proble…
Try Harder Isn’t a Strategy
Leadership in 5 | Earned Authority
“Try harder” isn’t a strategy—it’s a stall tactic.
In today’s episode, James unpacks why effort alone isn’t enough to drive real execution. Leaders often default to e…
The Next Question Changes Everything
🔍 Summary
Most leaders think their job is to provide answers. But great leadership begins with better questions—ones that surface clarity, unlock new thinking, and change the course of a conversation.
…