The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast

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 “managing the organisation.” 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 Principal
02:28 HR Roots in Justice
05:31 Relationships Drive Schools
08:17 Hiring and Staff Fit
11:02 Duty of Care for Staff
12:38 Learning From Interview Failure
17:13 Postgrad and Answer Structure
18:36 Advice After Rejection
21:02 Feedback for Middle Leaders
23:12 Self Awareness as a Leader
23:42 Growth Through Change
24:31 Learning From Failure
25:36 Reflection Habits
26:51 School Self Evaluation
28:12 Critical Friends Network
29:37 Job Applications Lessons
33:23 AI Without Losing Voice
35:54 Policies And Frameworks
42:26 New Principals Advice
44:42 Imposter Syndrome Reality
45:43 Final Encouragement
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On the Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast, host Orla interviews photographer Jill O’Meara about personal branding and headshot photography for professionals, including ambitious teachers seeking leadership roles. Jill explains how she creates a safe, guided studio experience in Enfield, Co Meath - optional makeover, posing, real-time photo review, attention to detail, and tailored planning around clients’ colors and personality - to help clients feel grounded, confident, and accurately represented. They discuss the risks of outdated or unrepresentative images, the many uses for professional photos (LinkedIn, CVs, WhatsApp, newsletters, podcasts, speaking, awards, editorial, school websites), and Jill’s on-location staff headshot work. Jill shares her background in architecture, the importance of body language and “listening eyes,” and her takeaway: “do it anyway.”
TIMESTAMPS
00:36 Jill Studio Experience
01:52 Networking Photographer Life
03:14 Headshots And Authenticity
04:50 Teachers Confidence Online
06:44 Where To Use Photos
08:56 Personal Brand Explained
10:01 On Location Team Headshots
11:42 Architecture To Photography
13:07 Tailored Shoots Planning
17:07 Helping Camera Shy Clients
20:41 Clients Return And Legacy
22:41 Ripple Effects of Leadership
24:16 Home Self vs Work Self
25:36 Family Shoots and Studio Fun
27:43 Know Your Audience
28:41 Body Language in Portraits
30:51 Grounded Confidence on Camera
33:48 Interview Presence and Nuance
35:44 Building Real Confidence
38:02 Brand Photos for Opportunities
41:15 Do It Anyway
42:21 How to Book Jill
43:23 Final Thanks and Wrap
CONTACT JILL
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-o-meara-photography/
Website: https://www.jillomeara.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillomearaphotography/ 
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In this Growth in Educational Leadership podcast episode, I interview Nick Woolley, a former secondary maths teacher and now full-time coach and coach trainer, co-director of the Inclusive Futures Academy. 
Nick describes discovering coaching on a leadership course, becoming an ICF-accredited coach, and returning to education after initially trying to leave the sector, now coaching students through senior leaders. 
He explains Inclusive Futures (a not-for-profit CIC focused on social mobility) and the Academy’s ICF-accredited, phased coach training model that can be tiered across school roles to build a coaching culture, including a recent project training Year 10/transition-year students to mentor younger peers. 
Key themes include coaching as effective communication, active listening, silence, curiosity over advice-giving, contracting (“what do you want from this conversation?”), and transparent leadership to gain buy-in during change.
TIMESTAMPS
00:52 Nick’s Teaching to Coaching Journey
02:22 Building Inclusive Futures Academy
05:55 Coaching Skills for Schools
06:52 Power of Listening and Silence
11:36 Training Pathways and Offerings
17:01 Ripple Effect and Hidden Impact
20:48 Leading Change Through Buy-In
26:03 When Change Isn’t Optional
27:03 Invite Staff Input
27:26 Transparency Builds Trust
28:49 Director Caught Middle
30:50 Coaching for Leaders
32:09 Loneliness at the Top
33:11 Coaching Skills Teachers Have
35:25 Coaching Not Advice
37:42 Clarify What You Need
39:05 Beware Scripted Coaching
40:54 Empower Not Depend
41:46 Permission to Mentor
43:53 Contracting Conversations
47:48 Feeling Heard Exercise
49:39 Change Needs Context
51:04 How to Contact Nick
51:59 Final Thanks and Wrap Up
CONTACT DETAILS
Nick's website: https://inclusivefutures.co.uk/
Email Nick here:  [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickwoolleycoach/ 
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I interview Xiaoxiao Mulhall, current president of Network Kildare (part of Network Ireland) and founder of Sinoventures, about inclusive growth through global connections and building deeper member relationships. Xiaoxiao explains Network Kildare’s role as a women’s network supporting business owners, employees, and aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting guided networking, joint events with other branches, and plans to increase visibility via PR, LinkedIn, Instagram, and personal branding. 
Drawing on her experience helping Irish and European businesses enter the Chinese market, she discusses fear, research, cultural understanding, protecting brand and regulatory alignment, and taking calculated risks. She shares leadership insights: confidence follows action, authenticity in public speaking, preparation, delegation, and prioritisation, and emphasises that women and teachers are already leaders. 
She previews a Chinese New Year event and explains how to join via NetworkIreland.ie or [email protected].
Timestamps
00:48 What Network Kildare Does
01:41 Theme Inclusive Global Growth
04:05 Going International Without Fear
09:02 Confidence Follows Action
10:48 Why She Said Yes to Becoming VP
12:02 Personal Branding and LinkedIn
15:58 Time Management and Delegation
19:48 Recognising Everyday Leadership
22:09 Public Speaking and Authenticity
24:37 Interviews and Asking Why
28:44 Member Research and Inclusion Events
31:52 Chinese New Year Celebration
34:11 Closing Advice and How to Join
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In this episode of the Growth and Educational Leadership Podcast, I interview teacher and HSCL liaison officer Cathal Twaddle about his career milestones, psychology studies, and leadership learning shaped by sport. Cathal describes an early prison service role and how a manager linked team sport to resilience and teamwork, which became a lens for his teaching and leadership. 
He discusses “two roads” moments influenced by his parents’ limited educational opportunities and his father’s dementia, emphasising reflection and ambition. 
Cathal defines high performance as consistently doing simple, logical tasks, applying this to teaching and student voice. He explains inclusion as broader than additional needs, and outlines HSCL work supporting families, including homelessness, by building trust through visibility, clear communication, and demystifying attendance processes. 
He also shares interview strategies, networking, transferable teacher skills, and reverse-engineering leadership goals.
TIMESTAMPS
01:04 Prison Service Beginnings
02:47 Sport Mindset and Two Roads
06:34 From Coaching to Teaching
10:03 High Performance Basics
12:14 Student Voice Made Simple
15:29 Inclusion Beyond SEN
17:41 HSCL Role and Homelessness
20:09 Building Trust With Parents
23:52 Interview Lessons From Sport
27:24 Career Advice and Reflection
31:41 Networking and Transferable Skills
33:57 Reverse Engineering Leadership Goals
36:38 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

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