Ep. 72 - The Art of Leadership: 360 Assessments, Coaching, and the Power of Listening with Benjamin Canyon

In this episode of the Expert Speaker Podcast, host Majeed Mogharreban sits down with Benjamin Cameo, a leadership coach, consultant, musician, and poet, to explore what it takes to be an effective leader in today's world.

Benjamin shares his expertise in 360 leadership assessments, how leaders can bridge the gap between perception and reality, and why power dynamics often create blind spots. He also discusses the role of emotions in leadership, how music and poetry shape his coaching, and why authenticity in leadership leads to stronger teams and better business outcomes.

If you want to improve your leadership, gain honest feedback, and learn the art of delegation, emotional intelligence, and strategic planning, this episode is for you.

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Key Takeaways

✅ The Power of 360 Leadership Assessments – How getting anonymous feedback from peers, direct reports, and supervisors reveals blind spots and helps leaders grow.

✅ Why Leaders Feel Isolated – The filter bubble effect prevents leaders from getting honest feedback, even if they have an open-door policy.

✅ The Art of Delegation – If you struggle to delegate effectively, Benjamin shares why leaders fail to delegate and how to fix it with clear strategic planning.

✅ Coaching vs. Therapy – The difference between coaching for leadership development and therapy for personal healing, and when to refer clients for deeper psychological work.

✅ The Role of Emotions in the Workplace – How leaders should embrace emotions without letting them disrupt productivity, and why a strong emotional culture leads to better teamwork.

✅ Jazz, Poetry, and Leadership – How listening, improvisation, and word precision in music and poetry mirror the skills needed for great leadership and communication.

✅ Creating Actionable Strategic Plans – How to move from vague goals to SMART objectives that make leadership and business strategy clear, measurable, and effective.

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Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “A senior leader often lives in a filter bubble—power dynamics prevent people from giving them the full truth.” – Benjamin Cameo
🗣️ “Good leadership is like jazz—you have to listen, adapt, and know when to step in or step back.” – Benjamin Cameo
🗣️ “A strong strategic plan doesn’t have to be 20 pages. It needs to be actionable.” – Benjamin Cameo
🗣️ “Love and connection matter in leadership—people want to feel valued, not just managed.” – Benjamin Cameo
🗣️ “A poem is like leadership—every word, every detail matters, and the smallest shift can light everything up.” – Benjamin Cameo

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Action Steps

🎯 Get a 360 Leadership Assessment – If you’re a leader, seek honest feedback from people at all levels to gain insight into your strengths and blind spots.

🎯 Master the Art of Delegation – Identify which tasks you should delegate and create a plan in advance to avoid last-minute overwhelm.

🎯 Make Your Strategic Plan SMART – Define clear, measurable, and time-bound objectives to increase productivity and make decision-making easier.

🎯 Develop Active Listening Skills – Whether in leadership or personal life, listening deeply (like a musician or poet) leads to better collaboration and communication.

🎯 Embrace Emotions in Leadership – Instead of suppressing emotions in the workplace, create a culture where people feel safe, heard, and valued.

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Final Thoughts

Great leadership isn’t about control—it’s about awareness, adaptability, and creating environments where people thrive. By integrating self-awareness, delegation, and emotional intelligence, leaders can enhance their impact and build stronger, more connected teams.

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