Listen "243: Leading Through Failure with Sean Barnes & Selena Young"
Episode Synopsis
Sean Barnes and Selena Young unpack the connection between leadership and failure, why it should be celebrated, how to grow through it, and what it takes to be a calming presence as a leader. They share lessons on resilience, building strong teams, giving feedback, and stepping out of comfort zones, while reflecting on their own leadership journeys and future goals.
Podcast Show Notes – Episode 243 | 08.19.2025
Episode Title: Sean Barnes & Selena Young
Key Moments
0:00 - Introduction and guest Selena Young
1:31 - Merging leadership and failure insights
4:13 - Celebrating and learning from failures
6:15 - The cycle of learning, earning, and returning
8:05 - Being a calming leader
10:11 - Titles, office spaces, and leadership dynamics
16:37 - Strategies for overcoming adversity
20:37 - Essentials of building a strong team
24:26 - Feedback, self-awareness, and balancing tasks with team development
27:52 - The leader's role: Shielding vs. transparency
30:58 - Selena Young's pivotal leadership lessons
32:37 - Embracing discomfort for growth
34:01 - Sean's transition from IT to HR leadership
35:13 - Starting a podcast and redefining failure
37:14 - Setting future goals and team development
38:40 - The joy of aiding others' growth
41:20 - Gaining public speaking confidence
42:13 - The value of stepping out of comfort zones
44:00 - Upcoming events and networking opportunities
Key Takeaways
Learning from failures and embracing discomfort are crucial for personal and professional growth.
Strong leadership involves prioritizing people over processes and fostering a culture of transparency and trust.
Building a team so strong you don't know who the leader is can drive exceptional performance and collective success.
Guest: Selena Young
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-young-phr-shrm-cp-b7b0a3149/
Host: Sean Barnes
Website: https://www.wolfexecutives.com
https://www.seanbarnes.com
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanbarnes/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfexecutives
https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewayofthewolf/
LinkedIn Newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7284600567593684993/
Register for the Wolf Leadership Series: https://lnkd.in/gbuJKXSj
YouTube: youtube.thewayofthewolf.com
Twitter: https://x.com/the_seanbarnes
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_seanbarnes
https://www.instagram.com/wolfexecutives
https://www.instagram.com/the_wayofthewolf
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_seanbarnes
Email: [email protected]
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Way-of-the-Wolf-Podcast/B08JJNXJ6C
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2BTGdO25Vop3GTpGCY8Y8E?si=ea91c1ef6dd14f15
Podcast Show Notes – Episode 243 | 08.19.2025
Episode Title: Sean Barnes & Selena Young
Key Moments
0:00 - Introduction and guest Selena Young
1:31 - Merging leadership and failure insights
4:13 - Celebrating and learning from failures
6:15 - The cycle of learning, earning, and returning
8:05 - Being a calming leader
10:11 - Titles, office spaces, and leadership dynamics
16:37 - Strategies for overcoming adversity
20:37 - Essentials of building a strong team
24:26 - Feedback, self-awareness, and balancing tasks with team development
27:52 - The leader's role: Shielding vs. transparency
30:58 - Selena Young's pivotal leadership lessons
32:37 - Embracing discomfort for growth
34:01 - Sean's transition from IT to HR leadership
35:13 - Starting a podcast and redefining failure
37:14 - Setting future goals and team development
38:40 - The joy of aiding others' growth
41:20 - Gaining public speaking confidence
42:13 - The value of stepping out of comfort zones
44:00 - Upcoming events and networking opportunities
Key Takeaways
Learning from failures and embracing discomfort are crucial for personal and professional growth.
Strong leadership involves prioritizing people over processes and fostering a culture of transparency and trust.
Building a team so strong you don't know who the leader is can drive exceptional performance and collective success.
Guest: Selena Young
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-young-phr-shrm-cp-b7b0a3149/
Host: Sean Barnes
Website: https://www.wolfexecutives.com
https://www.seanbarnes.com
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanbarnes/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfexecutives
https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewayofthewolf/
LinkedIn Newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7284600567593684993/
Register for the Wolf Leadership Series: https://lnkd.in/gbuJKXSj
YouTube: youtube.thewayofthewolf.com
Twitter: https://x.com/the_seanbarnes
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_seanbarnes
https://www.instagram.com/wolfexecutives
https://www.instagram.com/the_wayofthewolf
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_seanbarnes
Email: [email protected]
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Way-of-the-Wolf-Podcast/B08JJNXJ6C
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2BTGdO25Vop3GTpGCY8Y8E?si=ea91c1ef6dd14f15
More episodes of the podcast The Way of The Wolf
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249: Nader Safinya & Sean Barnes
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250: How To Build Confidence
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248: How To Lift Others Up
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