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. Nov 3

    E60: How to Answer โ€œWhat Would You Do?โ€ Interview Questions for Senior Cycle Reform Roles

    Iโ€™m recording from London ahead of an AI business development event and sharing a key shift Iโ€™m seeing in education interviews, especially for senior cycle redevelopment roles: many questions now start with โ€œWhat would you do ifโ€ฆ?โ€ rather than โ€œTell me about a timeโ€ฆ,โ€ so relying on STAR can be the wrong approach. These scenario questions are testing strategic thinking, not past competency examples. I explain that panels want clear strategies showing awareness of context, stakeholders, policies, risks, prioritisation, longer-term improvement, and evaluation.  I recommend using a โ€œrule of threeโ€ structure - state three strategies, sequence them clearly, and use strong verbs - illustrated through handling a colleague resistant to a whole-school initiative or curriculum change.  I also note AI can help generate strategies, and one-to-one mock interview coaching can help you practise how you communicate what you've learned. SCR interview coming up? You can book a mock interview with me here: https://www.orladempseycoaching.ie/leadership-interview-mentoring TIMESTAMPS 00:00 London Podcast Intro00:47 Senior Cycle Interview Shift01:32 Why STAR Falls Short04:45 Rule of Three Framework06:46 Strategic Thinking Checklist09:34 Power Verbs and Wording10:10 Example Strategic Answer12:43 Clarify Reform and Use AI16:29 Final Tips and Wrap UpSend us Fan Mail

  2. Oct 20

    E59: How to Handle Interview Questions That Catch You Off Guard

    In this week's episode, I share strategies for staying composed when an unexpected interview question catches you off guard. One blip doesnโ€™t mean failure.  I explain that many questions link to the Looking At Our School (LAOS) leadership competencies, and offer practical tools: donโ€™t confuse surprise with difficulty, give yourself permission to pause, listen for the competency being assessed, decide on one main point, connect the question to an existing experience, use action verbs to organise my thoughts, break multi-part questions into smaller parts, and ask for clarification when needed.  I stress not inventing answers and instead be authentic, then recovering and moving on.  I end with a 10-second/60-second practice challenge. You can learn more about the โ€œHelp! I Have an Interview in a Weekโ€ course here: https://www.orladempseycoaching.ie/page/247284 TIMESTAMPS 00:35 Episode Setup and Context01:28 Why Surprise Happens04:12 Pause and Stay Composed06:10 What Theyโ€™re Assessing08:05 One Clear Main Point09:16 Reuse Your Best Stories10:24 Verbs and Structure Tools12:22 Clarify and Stay Honest15:45 Recover Practice and WrapSend us Fan Mail

  3. Oct 13

    E 58: How to Stop Rambling in a Leadership Interview

    In episode 58 of the Growth in Educational Leadership podcast, I share practical tips to stop rambling in leadership interviews, based on issues that often come up in mock interviews with my clients.  I explain that interview answers should focus on the words the panel wants to hear, not everything I want to share, and that each answer needs one clear core message. I recommend answering the question in the first sentence, using one strong example, keeping context brief, and using a tight SAR/STAR-style structure (short situation, focused actions with strong โ€œI + verbโ€ statements, and a clear result). I also emphasize knowing the destination of the answer, stopping once the question is answered, and practicing cutting answers down (including reducing filler words) to fit within about 90 seconds to two minutes.  For lots more support like this, check out my leadership course, Help! Iโ€™ve an Interview in a Week available here: https://www.orladempseycoaching.ie/page/247284 TIMESTAMPS 00:53 Stop Rambling Overview01:59 Couse Intro: Help! I've an Interview in a Week03:56 Use Panel Keywords05:26 Define Your Core Message08:23 Lead With Answer09:36 One Example and Structure10:31 Keep Context Short11:24 Strong Verbs and Actions13:14 Know Your Destination14:53 Zip It Up16:03 Practice Cutting AnswersSend us Fan Mail

  4. Oct 6

    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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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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