The Making of a Selfless Leader: Mike Fidgeon
“YOU HAVEN'T FAILED UNTIL YOU QUIT.”
Episode Description
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Mike Fidgeon, President and CEO of Hillcrest Family Services, joins host Kaylee Thomsen for a candid conversation on leadership, service, and navigating change. Mike shares how growing up with two career social workers shaped his lifelong mission to help others, how a mentor’s example became a model for his own leadership style, and why he believes real growth comes from moving through failure rather than avoiding it. He also reflects on transforming a 125-year-old organization, leading through crisis, and what it means to define success on your own terms. If you believe great leadership is built through service and self-awareness, this one is for you.
Chapters
- 00:00 Intro: Meet Mike Fidgeon
- 00:44 An Inflection Point: Retirement, Grandkids, and a Move
- 02:39 Where "Help Others" Comes From
- 04:38 His Parents' Careers in Social Work
- 04:54 The Path He Originally Envisioned
- 07:20 Answering an Ad That Changed Everything
- 08:15 Lessons From Playing Football and Lacrosse
- 11:04 How His Definition of Success Has Evolved
- 13:39 Becoming a Student of Leaders
- 14:51 Learning From Mentor Warren Rustan
- 17:07 When Others' Confidence Exceeded His Own
- 19:08 What His Mother Taught Him About Staying Calm in Crisis
- 20:27 Advice From His Dad on Hard Decisions
- 23:36 How His Relationship With Difficult Decisions Has Changed
- 25:35 The $4 Million Mistake and a Boss Who Didn't Fire Him
- 27:07 Leading Hillcrest Through Major Transformation
- 29:57 The Hardest Part of the Role
- 32:36 Adjusting From a Fast-Paced Company Culture
- 33:52 Looking Forward to a Faster Pace Again
- 34:08 What He'll Miss Most About Dubuque
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