Index
Guest Bio
Sean Conley is the President and Owner of Conley Global. With an illustrious career spanning over 35 years, Sean has led learning and development initiatives across more than 40 countries. He’s held senior roles at companies like Baker Hughes and NBCUniversal, earning a reputation as a dynamic and innovative leader in the industry.
Failing Forward: Turning Mishaps into Success
Sean Conley begins with a humorous yet insightful story about slamming a glass office door—and watching it shatter. The lesson? Emotional control matters and mishaps can be powerful teachers. “Don’t slam glass doors,” Sean jokes, but his takeaway is profound: “When things break, literally or figuratively, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow.”
Sean believes failure isn’t a setback but a setup for success. In a pivotal career moment, he hosted a bold change management session featuring a Buddhist monk, a street performer, and an author. Despite being labeled an “epic failure” by a senior executive, Sean saw it differently: “My job was to push buttons. Sometimes people need to hear what they don’t want to hear, and that’s where growth happens.”
Easy, Engaging, Impactful, and Safe: Sean’s L&D Framework
Sean’s leadership approach is built on four pillars:
Safe: Creating an environment where learners feel safe to engage and take risks is crucial.
Easy: “If it’s not easy to understand, people won’t ask questions.”
Engaging: “We learn by interacting with others and finding relevance in the material.”
Impactful: “When the student becomes the teacher, you know you’ve made an impact.”
Challenging the Status Quo of Leadership and Development
Sean’s career demonstrates the power of innovation in leadership. “Too often, L&D follows a rinse-and-repeat model,” he notes. “We need heart and soul in learning—authenticity that inspires people to grow.”
He advises leaders to embrace risk: “If you want to do something interesting, be bold. Dare.” His unconventional methods, even when met with resistance, have led to significant breakthroughs.
A Legacy of Impact
Success, for Sean, isn’t about accolades but about influence. He shares how a participant from a 2009 workshop reached out years later to say they were still applying his lessons. “That’s the legacy I want to leave: moments that resonate and shape people’s journeys.”
Sean reflects on redefining career success: “It’s not about climbing the ladder; it’s about finding joy and alignment in what you do.” His advice? “Don’t fit the mold. Be curious, stand out, and challenge the status quo.”
Sean’s key message for L&D leaders is clear: don’t be afraid to take risks.
Building Inclusive Learning Communities
Sean emphasizes the importance of psychological safety: “When people feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and engage, they grow more effectively.” This underscores the value of fostering inclusive, supportive environments where people can thrive.
Ready to Push Boundaries?
Sean Conley’s journey is a masterclass in courage, creativity, and impact. Whether you’re an L&D professional or a team leader, his story offers valuable lessons on leading with authenticity and embracing the transformative power of failure.
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Episode Summary
In this engaging and insightful episode, Sean Conley, a seasoned L&D leader with over 35 years of global experience, shares humorous anecdotes, profound leadership insights, and his personal journey in the world of learning and development. From shattering glass doors (literally!) to redefining failure as a path to success, Sean offers practical wisdom and heartfelt reflections that resonate with professionals at all career stages.
Resources & Links:
- Learn more about Sean Conley
- Connect with Growthspace
Key Takeaways
- Failing Forward is a Success Strategy: Failure often lays the foundation for success.
- Adaptability is Essential: Leaders need to embrace innovation and prioritize the human element of change.
- Keep Learning Simple and Engaging: Deliver accessible and relevant learning experiences.
- Passion Drives Authenticity: Leaders who are passionate inspire trust and engagement.
- Legacy is Measured in Impact: Success is about the lasting influence on others.
- Reimagining Career Success: Find roles that align with your values.
- Create a Safe Space for Growth: Psychological safety is critical for learning and development.
- Failure is Perspective-Driven: What seems like a failure to one person can be an innovative success to another.
Chapters
- 00:00 – Breaking Glass Doors: Sean shares a humorous yet insightful story about shattering a glass door and the leadership lesson it taught him.
- 09:59 – Embracing Failure in Talent Development: Sean explains how bold strategies and embracing failure can drive impactful talent development programs.
- 16:14 – From Feedback to Lasting Impact: Discussing how meaningful feedback and challenging norms can foster growth and change.
- 18:20 – Blending Leadership Approaches: Sean highlights the importance of aligning top-down strategies with bottom-up insights for effective leadership.
- 23:58 – Advice for Aspiring Leaders: Be curious, stand out, and don’t shy away from challenging the status quo.
- 28:15 – Leaving a Legacy in Learning: Sean shares personal stories of impact, proving the power of creative and memorable learning moments.
- 34:03 – Challenges of Leadership: Reflections on balancing passion for learning with the realities of managing strategy, budgets, and teams.
- 37:31 – Building Inclusive Learning Communities: Sean wraps up by emphasizing psychological safety and his excitement for returning to hands-on learning roles.
