When we picture successful leaders, it’s easy to imagine people who always had a plan, always knew what they wanted, and moved steadily from one achievement to the next. But that’s rarely how leadership actually works.
In an episode of Hiring for Good, IQ Credit Union Chief Experience Officer Ali Migaki shared a story that felt much more real: a career built through unexpected turns, personal setbacks, hard-earned lessons, and a gradual shift from focusing on personal success to helping others succeed.
What stood out most wasn’t her title or her accomplishments. It was her honesty about how much she had to grow to become the leader she is today.
Ali openly described herself as a “doer” early in her career. She was focused on results, efficiency, and getting the job done. Like many high performers, she believed success came from working harder, moving faster, and accomplishing more. Over time, though, experience changed her perspective.
Personal challenges, leadership responsibilities, and the reality of leading larger teams taught her that people need more than direction. They need to feel heard, supported, and valued.
Ali said, “I’ve grown through experiences of the importance of empathy, compassion, and just having people feel valued.”
It’s a simple statement, but it speaks to something many leaders learn the hard way. Results matter, but people are what make results possible. The leaders who create the biggest impact are often the ones who invest as much energy in relationships as they do in performance.
One of the biggest challenges Ali faced was helping lead a credit union merger. Bringing two organizations together meant combining teams, cultures, processes, and expectations. On paper, that sounds like a business challenge. In reality, it’s a people challenge.
Looking back, Ali said the most important leadership skills were listening, empathy, transparency, and communication. People naturally worry during periods of change. They want to know what’s happening, how it affects them, and what comes next.
Her biggest takeaway was clear: Successful change management is less about systems and structures and more about trust, communication, and managing expectations. In fact, if she could do it over again, she says she would communicate even more.
That’s a lesson every leader can use. During times of uncertainty, people usually don’t expect perfection. They expect honesty. They want leaders who are willing to share what they know, admit what they don’t know, and keep the conversation going.
Like many professionals, she received plenty of encouragement throughout her career. But eventually she realized encouragement alone wasn’t helping her grow. “I need the feedback that no one’s willing to give me that I need if I want to progress in my career.” That’s not easy feedback to ask for, and it’s even harder to hear. Yet it’s often what separates good leaders from great ones.
We all have people in our lives who tell us we’re doing great. The mentors who make the biggest difference are the ones who help us see our blind spots, challenge our assumptions, and push us to grow beyond our comfort zone. Ali’s willingness to seek that kind of feedback helped her develop into a stronger and more self-aware leader.
For much of her career, Ali felt pressure to be strong, confident, and in control. But as she grew into executive leadership, she discovered something surprising: sharing her own story actually helped others trust her more.
When leaders are willing to talk honestly about challenges, mistakes, and lessons learned, it gives others permission to do the same. Conversations become more meaningful. Teams become more connected. Trust grows. She found that opening up about her experiences made her more approachable and created a safer environment for others to speak honestly about their own challenges. That’s particularly important today, when employees are looking for authentic leaders, not perfect ones.
Perhaps the most powerful thing Ali shared is that leadership stopped being about proving herself and started being about learning from others.
She talked about surrounding herself with smart people, listening carefully, and creating space for different opinions. She doesn’t want a team that simply agrees with her. She wants people who bring new perspectives and challenge her thinking.
That’s a sign of confidence that many leaders spend years developing. The strongest leaders aren’t the ones who have all the answers. They’re the ones who are curious enough to keep asking questions.
At its core, Ali’s story isn’t really about banking or credit unions. It’s about growth. It’s about learning that empathy can be more powerful than authority. That honest feedback can be more valuable than praise. That vulnerability builds trust. And that leadership becomes more meaningful when it stops being about personal achievement and starts being about helping other people succeed.