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/

YouTube: youtube.thewayofthewolf.com