88 - The Calls Didn't Break Me: Toxic Leadership and its Toll - with Chief David Rhodes

Show Notes – First Responder Wellness Podcast with Chief David Rhodes

Episode Title:
88 - The Calls Didn't Break Me: Toxic Leadership and its Toll - with Chief David Rhodes

Episode Summary:
In this episode, host Conrad Weaver speaks with Chief David Rhodes—veteran firefighter, editor-in-chief of Fire Engineering Magazine, and VP of Clarion Fire & Rescue Group—about the often-unspoken toll of toxic leadership in the fire service. Drawing from over 36 years on the line and decades of national instruction, Rhodes shares why organizational culture can be just as damaging as traumatic calls—and why supportive leadership may be the strongest buffer against long-term psychological harm.

Chief Rhodes unpacks the viral keynote that caught fire online after FDIC 2023, where he named the real stressors firefighters often face: exclusion, favoritism, and lack of agency. He discusses why many departments still miss the mark on wellness, what peer support should really look like, and how leaders can move from “power and control” to true servant leadership.

Whether you're in command or just starting your career, this conversation will challenge how you think about mental health, organizational stress, and the responsibility of leadership in public safety.

Key Topics Covered:

Why poor leadership causes more stress than critical incidents

The lasting damage of organizational exclusion and favoritism

Why some firefighters survive trauma—and others don’t

The "legs of the stool" that support emotional resilience

Peer support: what works, what doesn’t, and where it’s going

The danger of over-regulating risk in the name of safety

Why strong leadership demands feedback from outside your circle

Notable Quotes:

“The calls didn’t break me. It was the daily grind of being told no—no to training, no to contributing, no to growth.”

“Leadership is lonely. And if you’re not actively asking, ‘Am I creating a healthy or a toxic culture?’—you already have a problem.”

Connect with Chief David Rhodes:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Social: @ChiefDavidRhodes on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

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The First Responder Wellness Podcast is a production of ConjoStudios, LLC