
Why EMS Leaders Fail: Executive Coaching, Burnout, and the Leadership Gap | David DiNapoli
From In-Service EMS Podcast by Jason Falvey
January 25, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 20
About this episode
Jason Falvey interviews David DiNapoli about the challenges EMS leaders face when transitioning from clinical roles to leadership positions.
Send us Fan Mail Jason Falvey sits down with Dave DiNapoli (former EMT/paramedic, police officer, police chief; now an executive coach) to unpack why strong clinicians often struggle once they step into leadership. Coaching isn’t about giving answers — it’s about creating clarity, pressure-testing decisions, and forcing leaders to confront unintended consequences. Dave breaks down the hardest transition in EMS: moving from line staff to formal leader, where identity, language, and expectation...
People in this episode
Host: Jason Falvey
Guest: David DiNapoli
Topics covered
- leadership
- executive coaching
- burnout
- EMS transition
- identity
- decision making
Keywords
- EMS leadership
- executive coaching
- burnout
- leadership gap
- decision making
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: EMS
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- Toxic EMS Culture: Ethical Drift, Burnout & Leadership Failures | Dave DiNapoli · April 25, 2026 · 1h 13m
- The Clinical Expansion of EMS: Blood, Ultrasound, and RSI | Michael Henry & Eric Falvey · April 8, 2026 · 1h 24m
- From Tactical Leader to System Thinker | Wayne Sandford · March 10, 2026 · 1h 0m
- “Sign Here”: The Most Dangerous Decision a Paramedic Can Make in EMS | Paul Girard · February 20, 2026 · 1h 16m
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