AP Leadership Podcast Ep#3 |“Leadership Is Not About Being in Charge” — What Most Leaders Get Wrong | Al Pilong with Kent Riddle

In this episode of The AP Leadership Podcast, Al Pilong sits down with Kent Riddle, President & CEO of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, to explore what makes leadership succeed — and why it so often fails.

Kent shares his deeply personal journey into healthcare leadership after his wife survived a traumatic brain injury and received life-changing rehabilitation care. What began as board service turned into 15 years of CEO leadership — and sustained double-digit growth built on culture.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Common leadership failures — including narcissism and ego
• The importance of psychological safety
• Why leaders must expect more from their teams
• Servant leadership in practice
• Why culture drives performance and financial strength
• Favorite leadership thinkers including John Maxwell and Simon Sinek

Mary Free Bed has grown 10% annually for over a decade — not by leading with finance, but by leading with mission.

If you’re a healthcare executive, organizational leader, or aspiring CEO, this episode offers practical insight and grounded wisdom.

Subscribe for more leadership conversations.