Master Your Leadership Interview Game | A Conversation with Orla Dempseyla Dempsey

Leadership interviews terrify plenty of capable teachers, and Shane admits he is one of them. So Orla Dempsey, a coach who helps teachers secure leadership positions, coaches him live in this episode. She starts with a reframe Shane calls huge: when a question asks “what would you do if...”, answer in the past tense and tell a story about something you have already done. If you are preparing for a school leadership interview, or helping a colleague prepare, you can use her tools straight away.

In this archived episode, you’ll learn how Orla teaches the STAR technique (situation, task, action, result), including her “clam” image and her rule that the result should take 17 words or less. Shane has a go at a live mock answer about coaching a colleague whose long emails annoyed his team, and Orla shows how a list of verbs makes it sharper. You’ll also hear how to put figures behind your impact, how to read a school’s needs from a principal’s address and photographs, and why speaking from the heart beats speaking from the head when a setback comes up. Orla’s closing message is worth hearing before your next interview: not being the right fit for one school does not mean you are not good enough.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Orla Dempsey's LinkedIn

Orla Dempsey's website

Episode Partners

International Curriculum Association

Sisi

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. He is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.

You can find Shane on LinkedIn.

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