Delegation. Agreements. Deep listening. These aren’t just leadership buzzwords, they’re the bedrock of the impact we can create as rising leaders. In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Bennett to discuss the real art of successful delegation, the foundation of honest agreements, and how self-awareness and intentional connection are required to grow both people and organizations. Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company or stepping into your first management role, this conversation is brimming with actionable wisdom to help you foster trust, empower your teams, and show up as the best (and realest) version of yourself.

Jonathan Bennett is an author, advisor, and executive coach for purpose-driven leaders. With over 25 years drawn from his roles as a CEO, board member, and founder, Jonathan’s experience has spanned urban, rural, remote, and First Nations communities. He is known for his deep listening, breakthrough solutions, and his unwavering belief that leadership should be inclusive, ethical, and intentional. Jonathan helps leaders deepen their integrity, compassion, and long-term impact—one honest conversation at a time.

“Leaders who learn deep listening and metacognition, it’s like they’ve cracked a cheat code to a whole other way of being.” ~Jonathan Bennett

Today on The Rising Leader:

· Most leaders don’t struggle with what to do—they struggle with how to get out of their own way and execute.

· True delegation isn’t simply “handing off,” it’s building slow, intentional agreements rooted in open inquiry and shared ownership.

· The doer, not the delegator, should own notetaking and documentation to reinforce accountability.

· Upfront, explicit agreements with clear deliverables, milestones, and mechanisms for course correction are essential for autonomy and trust.

· These practices do not just apply to junior team members; great CEOs and senior leaders cascade these habits to align organizations.

· Hard conversations about mistakes must be rooted in curiosity and agreement about how to clean up and move forward, never blame.

· The best leaders continually work on self-awareness, emotional management, and their capacity to truly listen—inside and outside the boardroom.

· Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal, but clarity and intentionality amplify its power. Ask directly and be transparent about what you need.

Connect with Jonathan Bennett:

LinkedIn

Listen to Jonathan’s private podcast

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In The Rising Leader Handbook, you’ll learn how to shift your perspective and gain the leadership skills you need, regardless of the breadth of your responsibilities, by leveraging the relationships you’ve built with the CEO, the Leadership Team, and the team you lead as well as your relationship with yourself.

Visit The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers into Effective Leaders to grab your copy and start mastering your skills to become your team leader.

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