243: Leading Through Failure with Sean Barnes & Selena Young

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

1. Learning from failures and embracing discomfort are crucial for personal and professional growth.
2. Strong leadership involves prioritizing people over processes and fostering a culture of transparency and trust.
3. 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: [e-mail]

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Way-of-the-Wolf-Podcast/B08JJNXJ6C

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2BTGdO25Vop3GTpGCY8Y8E?si=ea91c1ef6dd14f15