How to Handle Power and Ego in the Boardroom | Jonathan Bennett

If you’ve ever wished leaders would stop acting like robots and start acting like humans, this episode is your new masterclass.Leadership advisor, entrepreneur, and board director Jonathan Bennett joins Angela to unpack the real skills great leaders rely on: conflict resolution, culture-building, deep listening, emotional intelligence, and how to actually show up as a human in the room — even when things get messy.You’ll learn the tools Jonathan uses with executives around the world, including:• How to handle difficult conversations without freezing, shutting down, or blowing things up• Why “what have you already tried?” is the most powerful leadership question you’re not asking• How emotional triggers, somatic reactions, and old patterns shape how we lead• Why good governance is relational — not just procedural• How to run better meetings, build trust, and create space for real connection• What young leaders can do right now to build board experience• Why most conflict isn’t actually about you (and how to use that to your advantage)Key Questions Answered:How do great leaders handle conflict without making things worse?How can you stay curious instead of defensive in hard conversations?What’s the difference between emotional triggers and actual problems?How do somatic reactions (freeze/fight/flight) impact leadership?What does healthy conflict look like in teams and boardrooms?How can leaders build trust and psychological safety?How do you develop deep listening skills and avoid hijacking meetings?What makes a board effective — and what destroys its culture?How can new leaders get their first board seat?Why is “what have you already tried?” a game-changing question for managers?This episode cuts the fluff and gets real about leadership, culture, conflict, courage, and becoming the kind of leader people actually want to follow.Key Themes:Human-centered leadershipConflict resolution and communicationDeep listening skillsEmotional intelligence for executivesSomatic responses and self-awarenessTrust, culture, and psychological safetyGovernance and relational board leadershipCoaching, advising & navigating hard situationsDecision-making and meeting effectivenessLeadership development and self-growthLearn More About Jonathan:Podcast: https://clearlythen.com/listenWebsite: clearlythen.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bennettjonathan/Mentioned in this Episode: A League of Their Own (film) – quote “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast – popular business quote AI note-taking tools: Fathom (Angela’s mention): https://www.fathom.ai/ AI note-taking tools: Granola (Jonathan’s mention): https://www.granola.ai/ Angela’s blog about hobbies: https://www.angelagillnelms.com/why-doing-many-things-at-once-might-be-the-smartest-move-you-ever-make/ Keywords:leadership skillsconflict resolution for leadersemotional intelligence at workhow to handle difficult conversationsleadership communicationdeep listening skillsculture and leadershipleadership coachingexecutive coaching toolshow to lead meetingsleadership psychologybuilding trust at workboard governancerelational governanceleadership adviceleadership vs managementpsychological safetyleadership development toolsbecoming a better leaderhow to show up authenticallyconflict management strategies#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #ConflictResolution #CultureMatters #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #BoardGovernance #HumanCenteredLeadership #BadassLeadersPodcast #AngelaGillNelms #JonathanBennettSocial Media Channels:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bebravebebadass/podcastsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73Dg8OQ7SqtGtSiCWQUfLB?si=c17c0f1abe29446fApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/badass-leaders-podcast-brave-hearts-brave-conversations/id1788987881Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/Badass-Leaders-Podcast-Brave-Hearts-Brave-Conversations-Badass-Leaders/B0DS2CQL9V?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2Want to be a Podcast Guest?If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email [email protected]. Learn more about the podcast at www.BadassLeadersPodcast.com.