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
- 38
- Years Active
- 2025
38. Why Startup Habits Begin Failing: Scaling Growth from 10 to 50 Employees
Episode 38: From 10 to 50 People: Why Startup Habits Begin Failing
Episode 1 in the series: Scaling Growth
When your company is small, hustle works.
Everyone wears every hat. The founder can still check…
37. The Problem with Recognizing Everyone Equally
Episode 37: The Problem with Recognizing Everyone Equally
Episode 10 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Praising everyone equally sounds positive—but it erodes trust and damages culture.
In Episode…
36. Why Avoidance Is Silently Killing Your Culture
Episode 36: Why Avoidance Is Silently Killing Your Culture
Episode 10 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Silence isn’t always wisdom. Sometimes it’s avoidance. And when leaders mistake avoidance f…
35. You’ve Got One Life. Don’t Play Small.
Episode 035: You’ve Got One Life. Don’t Play Small.
In this episode of Leadership in 5, James reads directly from his personal journal — written five months before he resigned as Chief Culture Officer…
34. What to Do When Loyalty Becomes a Performance Issue
Episode 34: What to Do When Loyalty Becomes a Performance Issue
Episode 9 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Loyalty is valuable. Loyal employees bring stability, wisdom, and a steady presence tha…
33. Process Without Leadership Only Gets You Compliance
Episode 33: Process Without Leadership Only Gets You Compliance
Episode 8 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
You don’t fix people problems with process.
And you don’t fix culture with a dashboard.
S…
32. If People Are Waiting on Permission, You Have a Trust Problem
Episode 32: If People Are Waiting on Permission, You Have a Trust Problem
Episode 7 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Hesitation isn’t laziness.
Second-guessing isn’t incompetence.
When your team s…
31. Why Fear of Accountability Will Cost You Your Best People
Episode 31: Why Fear of Accountability Will Cost You Your Best People
Episode 6 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Too many leaders think avoiding accountability is kindness.
It isn’t kindness.
It’s…
30. Why Top Performers Go Silent Before They Quit
Episode 30: Why Top Performers Go Silent Before They Quit
Episode 5 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot
Your best people don’t storm out. They don’t slam doors. They don’t argue their way to the ex…
29. How to Get Your Team to Take Ownership Without Babysitting Every Decision
Episode 29 — How to Get Your Team to Take Ownership Without Babysitting Every Decision
You don’t want to babysit every choice. You want managers and employees who step in, solve problems, and carry re…
28. Why Good Managers Don’t Take Ownership
Episode 28 — Why Good Managers Don’t Take Ownership
Episode 3 of 9: The Founder’s Blind Spot
You’ve heard it before:
“That’s not my job.”
“No one told me.”
“I didn’t know.”
Or the worst one: “Did you talk …
27. The Real Reason Your Meetings Aren’t Working
Episode 027: The Real Reason Your Meetings Aren’t Working
Episode 2 of 9 in the series, "The Founder's Blind Spot"
In Episode 026, we looked at how ineffective meetings leave you drained and busy witho…
26. Stop Wasting Time with Ineffective Meetings
Episode 026: Stop Wasting Time with Ineffective Meetings
Episode 1 of 9 in the series, "The Founder's Blind Spot"
Ever walked out of a full day of meetings and thought, “What did we actually accompli…
25. When Core Values Become Wall Art
Episode 25: When Values Become Wall Art
Episode 4 of 4 in the series, "Built to Last or Poised for Collapse?"
What happens when your values stop being lived and start being laminated?
This episode close…
24. Success Is the Greatest Threat to Growth
Episode 24: Success Is the Greatest Threat to Growth
Episode 3 of 4 in the series, "Built to Last or Poised for Collapse?"
What if the very thing fueling your momentum today is the biggest threat to yo…
23. When Listening Isn’t Leading
Episode 23: When Listening Isn’t Leading
What happens when your team speaks up — and nothing changes?
This episode digs into the silent killer of culture: listening without acting. Founders often belie…
22. You Can’t Force Ownership and That’s Why You’re Still Carrying It All
Episode 22 — You Can’t Force Ownership and That’s Why You’re Still Carrying It All
You’ve probably felt it: the company is bigger, the team is larger, but somehow you’re still the one carrying the wei…
21. Trust Is Personal
Episode 21 Show Notes — Trust Is Personal
Series: It’s All Personal, 5 of 5
What do you think about at 2 a.m.?
If you’re like most founders, it’s not strategy decks or long-term plans.
It’s the meeting …
20. Feedback Is Personal
EPISODE 20 — Feedback Is Personal
Arc: It’s All Personal
If the word “feedback” makes people in your company brace for impact, you’ve got a problem.
When it’s done right, feedback builds trust, strength…
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…