The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast

Orla Dempsey
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๐˜ผ๐™ง๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™™๐™ฎ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ก๐™š๐™–๐™™ ๐™–๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฃ๐™š๐™ญ๐™ฉ ๐™ก๐™š๐™ซ๐™š๐™ก?  ๐™„๐™› ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™–๐™ง๐™š, ๐™ฉ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฅ๐™ค๐™™๐™˜๐™–๐™จ๐™ฉ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช! Through my recruitment work in the education and public sectors, I see trends emerging amongst the 1000s of candidates I've helped to date - from โžก๏ธ career blindspots toโžก๏ธ long, complicated interview questions andโžก๏ธhow confidence holds so many teachers back. Because I understand the system that teachers work in, the language they use, the challenges they face, and the frameworks that shape education, this podcast (and the way I work) means that teachers grow professionally as quickly as possible! Combining mindset with strategy, I'll be sharing ways to sell yourself better and how to make the Looking at Our School Document work for you. I'll also share insider stories from experts in education and beyond.  ๐Ÿ”ฅDon't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast for weekly career and leadership tips. Owner: Orla Dempsey

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 57: How to Answer Multi-Part Interview Questions Without Rambling

    In episode 57 of the Growth and Educational Leadership podcast, I discuss handling multi-part interview questions that can throw school leaders off under pressure. I explain practical strategies such as asking permission to use a notepad, requesting clarification or repetition, and taking a brief pause to process before answering.  I show how to decode questions by pulling out the key verbs (e.g., led, engaged, overcame, evaluated) and then chunking the response into clear sections, using sequential language and the rule of three to keep it structured without sounding scripted. I highlight common mistakes like overexplaining context, focusing too long on the first part, and rushing the rest, and I recommend keeping the impact short at the end.  Learn more about 'Help! Iโ€™ve an Interview in a Week' here: https://www.orladempseycoaching.ie/page/247284 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome and Recap01:34 Why Multi-Part Questions Trip Us Up02:25 Use Notes and Ask Clarification07:45 Decode Questions With Verbs09:07 Chunking and Rule of Three10:21 Check Back and Keep Impact Brief12:10 Stay Grounded and Avoid Common Mistakes13:58 Structure Without Sounding ScriptedSend us Fan Mail

  2. Sep 28

    E56: Leadership as a New Profession: Identity Shifts, Interim Headship, and Being True

    In this episode of the Growth in Educational Leadership podcast, I speak with Anne Jan Van Den Dool, an educational leadership specialist and director at Poel Management, about his 20+ years across primary, secondary, and vocational education, including interim school leadership. He describes learning leadership โ€œthe hard wayโ€ after becoming a young middle leader, realising that leading teachers is a different profession requiring skills, knowledge, and an identity shift, including clearly โ€œsaying goodbyeโ€ to the teacher team.  We discuss differences between Dutch and Irish middle leadership roles, leadership responsibility for teaching quality, aligning school values across all practices, and respecting the school as a system. Andjan explains interim leadership during high-stress periods, em He explores trust, vulnerability, โ€œlimboโ€ as a growth phase, burnout as feedback, and urges leaders to be true rather than wise. TIMESTAMPS 01:25 Early Leadership Lessons05:43 Teacher or Leader Identity11:19 Responsibility for Quality14:32 Values and Vision Hiring19:14 Interim Principal Work22:40 First Weeks Under Pressure25:33 Why Middle Leaders Matter29:02 Repairing Trust and Culture29:58 Trust and Insecurity31:34 Leading with Vulnerability33:51 Identity Stories in Leadership36:41 First Days as Middle Leader38:44 The Gift of Limbo41:35 Rethinking Career Paths46:09 Burnout and Balance49:46 When Leaders Feel Stuck54:10 Be True, Not Wise56:25 Connect and ClosingCONTACT DETAILS Contact Anne Jan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annejanvandendool/ Send us Fan Mail

  3. Sep 1

    E55: Othering, Identity, and Shared Leadership Challenges Across Schools: Shane Leaning

    In this week's episode, I welcome Shane Leaning to the Growth in Educational Leadership podcast, and we discuss his work in Shanghai, including leadership development through Education Leaders and his not-for-profit Work Collaborative, which grew out of his book Change Starts Here, on how schools build confidence to lead sustainable change amid external pressures.  We explore โ€œotheringโ€ as distancing people by treating them as different, including a self-protective form linked to imposter feelings and a more destructive form rooted in stereotypes, and how it shows up in schools as โ€œus and themโ€ divides between leaders and staff.  Shane shares cross-country similarities in challenges like teacher retention and what systems might learn from each other, plus intercultural examples from UK-China meeting norms.  We discuss identity in staffrooms, psychological safety, feeling heard, and gratitude as practical ways to build connection and reduce miscommunication. CONTACT DETAILS Learn more about Shane's work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leaningshane/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leaningshane/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:45 Shaneโ€™s Leadership Work02:11 How His Projects Evolved06:02 Defining Othering11:14 Shared Global Challenges15:16 Messy Humans and Stereotypes19:56 Us and Them in Schools28:15 Culture Clash in Meetings31:14 Empathy in Interviews35:24 Awareness Over Assumptions37:25 Shaneโ€™s Podcasts and Wrap-UpSend us Fan Mail

  4. Sep 1

    Specialist Teaching, Teacher Training, and Compassion in the Classroom Empower Dyslexia: Katie Tuite

    The podcast is back! This week I interview Katie Tuite, founder of Empower Dyslexia, a dyslexia specialist teacher and consultant in County Meath, about her business and dyslexia journey. After completing a DCU Masterโ€™s in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) in 2019, Katie found there is no dyslexia specialist role within Irelandโ€™s education system, so she took a career break after her second child and began private practice in 2024. She discusses how understanding of dyslexia has evolved beyond phonological deficits to encompass broader processing, its prevalence (at least 10%, up to 20% in some areas), hereditary patterns, and higher incidence in some lower-socioeconomic-status or closely related rural communities. Katie provides Croke Park hours (in-person within an hourโ€™s drive or online nationwide), describes building her reputation through Instagram and local parent talks, highlights business realities like taxes and insurance, and emphasises studentsโ€™ strengths such as creativity, problem-solving, and empathy. Her key message to teachers is that every class likely includes a child with dyslexia and that even average-performing diagnosed students work far harder and need extra compassion; she also stresses the importance of supportive staff rooms and asking for help.  Contact Katie at info@empowerdyslexia.ie and @empower_dyslexia. TIMESTAMPS 00:36 From Masters to Private Practice01:53 How Dyslexia Understanding Evolved03:04 Who Dyslexia Affects Most06:02 Training Teachers in Schools08:05 Business Pivot to Teaching09:19 Taking the Career Break Leap10:28 Building a Reputation Online15:01 Going Legit Self Employed17:24 Online Payments Reality17:54 Dyslexia Roots and Workshops18:42 Finding the DCU Masters20:25 Dyslexia Strengths and Empathy22:26 Building Supportive Groups25:51 Specialist Lens in Schools27:21 Compassion for Dyslexic Students28:54 Teacher Support and Staffroom Culture31:23 Belonging and Staying Connected31:55 Contact Details and Farewell Send us Fan Mail

  5. May 5

    E53: Siobhan Fitzgerald on Empowering Student Voice Through Public Speaking and Leadership in a Rural DEIS School

    Orla interviews Siobhan Fitzgerald, principal of Eglish National School, a small rural DEIS school in East Galway, where she says most pupils have experienced significant trauma and many are from the Traveller community. Siobhan describes developing the LET's Stand Public Speaking programme after noticing students could create strong PowerPoints but were unable to present, and she outlines teaching public speaking as incremental skills (e.g., structure with beginningโ€“middleโ€“end, eye contact, body language) using a modelโ€“shareโ€“guideโ€“apply approach.  The conversation links public speaking to student voice, listening, confidence, leadership, and teacher self-awareness, arguing that students need practice before being asked to share opinions and that teachers already use public-speaking skills daily. Siobhan discusses teamwork, coaching for school leaders, effective interview communication, and announces a forthcoming 10-book fiction box set for ages 7โ€“13, published by Outside the Box, aimed at wellbeing and connecting children with nature. TIMESTAMPS 02:13 School Context and Trauma03:15 Public Speaking Spark05:05 Building the Program06:44 Kids Need a Voice10:41 Listening and Student Voice12:54 Teach One Skill13:11 Speech Structure Hand Model15:53 Eye Contact and Practice17:25 Getting Staff Onboard19:45 Teachers as Speakers24:03 Skills and Reflection Time26:37 Leadership Reflection Courage29:04 Judgment and Visionary Style31:07 Teamwork and Learning Leaders31:25 Team Roles and Flexibility34:17 Elastic Band Leadership Mindset35:30 Leadership in Small Schools39:01 Impact Over Comparison41:46 Coaching for School Leaders44:38 Public Speaking for Principals48:41 Interview Answers and Authenticity51:49 Jargon Versus Real Stories57:18 New Childrenโ€™s Book Series01:01:17 Nature, Wellbeing and FarewellUSEFUL LINKS Here are links to Siobhan's programmes for schools and children LET's Standhttps://4schools.examcraftgroup.ie/display-product-page/lets-stand-primary Listen, How Child and Student Voice can Change the Worldhttps://www.routledge.com/Listen-How-Child-and-Student-Voice-Can-Change-the-World/KeenanFitzgerald/p/book/9781032750330 Adventures in Coill Calm serieshttps://www.otb.ie/shop/well-being-sel-sphe/adventures-in-coill-calm/ [Interview by Orla Dempsey] Send us Fan Mail

  6. Apr 24

    E52: Recruitment Redefined: Steven Farrell O Callaghan on Relationships, Interview Prep, and Psychometrics

    Orla interviews Steven Farrell O Callaghan of Clark Recruitment on the Growth in Educational Podcast about his recent Home of the Year final appearance with his husband Mike, the publicity it brought, and his 18 years with Clark, which he officially took over in 2024 after joining in 2008.  Stephen explains Clarkโ€™s relationship-driven approach to serving both employers and candidates, including on-site client visits, structured competency-based interviewing, candidate coaching, and an aftercare check-in process (weeks 1, 4, 6, 8, and 12).  He discusses application volumes (e.g., ~300 for admin roles), international sourcing via partners and a work permit department, and the value and limits of psychometric tools (InnerMetrics/DISC) for hiring and team development.  The conversation covers interview best practices, STAR storytelling, issues with untrained panellists, overly long multi-stage processes, and encouraging educators to take risks, apply even without every requirement, and seek mentoring. TIMESTAMPS 00:48 Home of the Year Spotlight02:52 From Publicity to Networking03:17 Recruitment Relationship Building06:07 Sourcing and Application Volume08:18 International Partners and USP09:51 Leadership Qualities and Listening11:27 Aftercare and Psychometrics14:41 Better Interviews and Panels22:05 Candidate Prep and Storytelling24:23 STAR Technique Breakdown25:20 STAR Story Endings26:11 Interview Surprise Fallout27:09 Too Many Interview Rounds29:09 Why In Person Matters30:24 Hiring Timelines Reality31:56 Coaching Strengths Answers32:51 Recruiter Value Explained35:24 Long Term Relationships36:52 Psychometrics For Teams42:33 Competencies And AI Gaps45:36 Apply Anyway Take RisksCONTACT DETAILS Clarke Recruitment Website:  https://clark.ie/Watch Stephen and Mike on Home of the Year here: https://www.rte.ie/player/series/home-of-the-year/SI0000000759?epguid=IP10017032-12-0007Clarke Recruitment on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkrecruitment/[Interview with Orla Dempsey} Send us Fan Mail

  7. Apr 14

    E51: Aislinn Nic Phรกidรญn: From Classroom to DCU: Teacher Fellowships, Change, and Wellbeing

    Orla interviews primary teacher and Instagram creator Aislinn Nic Phรกidรญn: (Is Muinteoir Mรฉ) about taking a two-year career break to become a Teacher Fellow in DCUโ€™s BEd programme after teaching since graduating from Marino in 2013/2014. Ashlyn describes her hesitant application process, fear of change, and practical trade-offs, including commuting, longer days, no school holidays, and a pay cut, balanced by funded further study and a Masterโ€™s.  She explains the fellowshipโ€™s purpose of bringing current classroom insights into third-level teacher education, mentoring and visiting students on placement, and why it is limited to two years. Aislinn reflects on realising she was near burnout, feeling refreshed, revisiting best practice, and promoting relationship-building, balance, and well-being for student teachers.  She discusses how drama built confidence, and how COVID led to webinars, Irish-language resources, and a bilingual teacher planner. TIME STAMPS 00:43 Aislinn's Teaching Journey01:52 Applying for the Fellowship03:38 Fear of Change and Decision06:32 Tradeoffs and Masterโ€™s Funding07:15 Why Itโ€™s Only Two Years09:13 Returning Refreshed11:52 Sharing the Move Online15:17 Qualities of Teacher Fellows19:06 Imposter Syndrome and Team Balance21:03 Relationships First21:36 Teacher Wellbeing Boundaries23:26 Rest Is Productive25:23 Priorities And Time27:13 Drama Builds Confidence29:59 Showtime In Class34:14 Planner Born In Covid38:20 Helping Teachers Take Risks39:10 Leap Of Faith Closing[The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast Host: Orla Dempsey] Send us Fan Mail

  8. Mar 31

    E50: Brien Kearns - From HR to School Principal: Authentic Leadership, Reflection, and Doing Better Interviews

    In this episode of the Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast, I interview Brien Kearns, administrative principal of Castletown National School in Navan, County Meath, about his career from an early HR role in the Department of Justice to nearly 20 years in teaching and becoming a principal in 2020 just before COVID. Brien explains how HR experience shaped his approach to relationship-building, communication, professionalism, and handling grievances, and how principals spend much of their time on โ€œmanaging the organisation.โ€ He discusses hiring for fit and strengths, supporting staff at different life stages, and the value of reflection through school self-evaluation and critical friends.  Brien shares lessons from failing principal interviews before succeeding on his third attempt, emphasising credible, evidence-based answers, preparation, feedback, and perseverance. He advises using AI carefully without losing authenticity, and stresses following policy, circulars, and frameworks for fairness, trust, and protection.  He closes with advice for new principals: be genuine, empower staff, seek help, show humility, and accept ongoing learning and imposter syndrome. TIMESTAMPS 00:23 From Teacher to Principal02:28 HR Roots in Justice05:31 Relationships Drive Schools08:17 Hiring and Staff Fit11:02 Duty of Care for Staff12:38 Learning From Interview Failure17:13 Postgrad and Answer Structure18:36 Advice After Rejection21:02 Feedback for Middle Leaders23:12 Self Awareness as a Leader23:42 Growth Through Change24:31 Learning From Failure25:36 Reflection Habits26:51 School Self Evaluation28:12 Critical Friends Network29:37 Job Applications Lessons33:23 AI Without Losing Voice35:54 Policies And Frameworks42:26 New Principals Advice44:42 Imposter Syndrome Reality45:43 Final EncouragementSend us Fan Mail

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๐˜ผ๐™ง๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™™๐™ฎ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ก๐™š๐™–๐™™ ๐™–๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฃ๐™š๐™ญ๐™ฉ ๐™ก๐™š๐™ซ๐™š๐™ก?  ๐™„๐™› ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™–๐™ง๐™š, ๐™ฉ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™ฅ๐™ค๐™™๐™˜๐™–๐™จ๐™ฉ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช! Through my recruitment work in the education and public sectors, I see trends emerging amongst the 1000s of candidates I've helped to date - from โžก๏ธ career blindspots toโžก๏ธ long, complicated interview questions andโžก๏ธhow confidence holds so many teachers back. Because I understand the system that teachers work in, the language they use, the challenges they face, and the frameworks that shape education, this podcast (and the way I work) means that teachers grow professionally as quickly as possible! Combining mindset with strategy, I'll be sharing ways to sell yourself better and how to make the Looking at Our School Document work for you. I'll also share insider stories from experts in education and beyond.  ๐Ÿ”ฅDon't forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast for weekly career and leadership tips. Owner: Orla Dempsey

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