“Sometimes people are making leadership harder than it needs to be. A good leader or becoming a good leader is actually just about being a good person.”

With Wendy Youens Executive Leadership Consultant

Leadership coach and consultant Wendy Youens discusses the realities of leadership, confidence, and the complexity of being human at work. We explores the difference between managing and leading, the pressures placed on women in leadership roles, and the value of approaching leadership with practicality and humanity.

We reflect on our shared upbringing in rural New Zealand, the unexpected paths that shape a career, and the importance of recognising the whole person behind the professional role. We speak about leadership learnings, life transitions & where our life journeys have taken us since high school. Wendy emphasises the importance of being kind in leadership & work roles.

The conversation circles a simple but powerful idea ~ that good leadership begins with being a good human, learning to navigate life’s messy complexity, and remembering what truly matters.

In this episode

00:19 Meet Wendy Youens
03:19 Coaching Outside Organisations
05:19 Why Wendy Became a Coach
08:30 Simple Leadership Principles
10:10 Women in Leadership Realities
14:31 Managers vs Leaders
15:45 Rural Roots and Education
21:19 Career Paths and Early Jobs
26:20 Leading in a Messy World

About Wendy

Wendy is an executive leader who builds strong team cultures and empowers people. She is a purpose-driven leader with over 15 years’ experience guiding organisations through growth, transformation and innovation.

In 2013 Wendy worked with NZ On Air and the Media Access Charitable Trust board to establish Able, a not-for-profit providing media access services. As founding Chief Executive, she grew Able into New Zealand’s leading accessibility organisation, doubling the team and funding, expanding services nationally and implementing technology solutions to modernise delivery.

Wendy is a strategic thinker with a practical approach. She completed the University of Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme and the Leadership Mindset Programme at the University of Auckland, along with courses in governance, leadership, finance and strategy.

She is a sought-after speaker and lecturer, presenting across Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and a governance leader, having served as Chair of the Basement Theatre Trust Board (2018–2024) and trustee for Stardome Observatory and Planetarium and Assistance Dogs NZ.

Wendy is focused on innovation that improves people’s lives, combining leadership, strategy, accessibility and technology to help organisations grow, adapt and make a meaningful impact.

Wendy is a mother of 2, and a phenomenal friend, I deeply appreciate our friendship.

Resources & references from this episode

Able NZ ~ A NFP organisation providing captioning and audio description services for television and media in New Zealand, helping make broadcasting accessible for Deaf and blind communities.

Basement Theatre ~ Auckland’s independent theatre venue known for supporting emerging performers and experimental theatre. The organisation focuses on accessibility and providing opportunities for new artists entering the industry.

Lovemarks, developed by Kevin Roberts from brand agency Saatchi & Saatchi (I incorrectly cited these as “lovenotes.” Lovemarks: brands or organisations that move beyond traditional marketing by cultivating deeper emotional connections through mystery, sensuality, and intimacy or how organisations circle human connection.

Glass balls vs plastic balls metaphor ~ attributed to former Coca-Cola CEO Brian Dyson,

P.S A shout out to Wendy’s husband Ryan Youens music composer & arranger who is behind the intro music for this podcast!