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Episode 25: The Last Interview Question That Exposes True Leaders
Most candidates believe the interview is over when the panel stops asking questions. That assumption costs people leadership roles.
The reality is that the last interview question is often what exposes true leaders—and separates them from candidates who are simply hoping to get hired.
In this week's episode we explore three powerful questions every aspiring school leader can ask at the end of a school leadership interview. These questions reveal how hiring committees think, what they actually listen for, and why the way you close an interview can matter more than how you start it.
If you’re preparing for an interview for an assistant principal, dean, instructional coach, supervisor, or school leadership role, this episode will help you move beyond surface-level interview preparation and think like a leader before you even get the job.
When the hiring committee asks, “Do you have any questions for us?” —that moment can become a leadership test.
This episode:
➤Why the interview isn’t actually over at the final question
➤How strong leaders use questions to demonstrate problem-solving ability
➤What hiring committees hear when you ask the right (or wrong) questions
➤How to position yourself as a solution, not just a candidate
➤The leadership mindset behind instructional decision-making
These strategic leadership questions signal maturity, awareness, and readiness for real responsibility.
------------------------
About Dr. Donovan Smalls II:
An assistant principal, best-selling author, and school leadership coach dedicated to helping aspiring & early-career school leaders close readiness gaps, strengthen instructional leadership, and build sustainable systems that improve teacher effectiveness.
📕 Grab my book, Beyond the Classroom → https://shorturl.at/74Bgy
👉🏾 1:1 interview preparation coaching to help aspiring school leaders prepare for interviews and transition confidently into leadership roles: https://donovansmalls2.com/coaching
If you’re interviewing for your first leadership role this episode will help you close interviews with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
------------------------
Streaming on:
📺 YouTube 🔗 https://urlgeni.us/youtube/channel/L0Y2m
🎧 Apple Podcasts 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/mv7f683k
🎧 Spotify 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/4wydt4nr
View all episodes
By Dr. Donovan Smalls IIMost candidates believe the interview is over when the panel stops asking questions. That assumption costs people leadership roles.
The reality is that the last interview question is often what exposes true leaders—and separates them from candidates who are simply hoping to get hired.
In this week's episode we explore three powerful questions every aspiring school leader can ask at the end of a school leadership interview. These questions reveal how hiring committees think, what they actually listen for, and why the way you close an interview can matter more than how you start it.
If you’re preparing for an interview for an assistant principal, dean, instructional coach, supervisor, or school leadership role, this episode will help you move beyond surface-level interview preparation and think like a leader before you even get the job.
When the hiring committee asks, “Do you have any questions for us?” —that moment can become a leadership test.
This episode:
➤Why the interview isn’t actually over at the final question
➤How strong leaders use questions to demonstrate problem-solving ability
➤What hiring committees hear when you ask the right (or wrong) questions
➤How to position yourself as a solution, not just a candidate
➤The leadership mindset behind instructional decision-making
These strategic leadership questions signal maturity, awareness, and readiness for real responsibility.
------------------------
About Dr. Donovan Smalls II:
An assistant principal, best-selling author, and school leadership coach dedicated to helping aspiring & early-career school leaders close readiness gaps, strengthen instructional leadership, and build sustainable systems that improve teacher effectiveness.
📕 Grab my book, Beyond the Classroom → https://shorturl.at/74Bgy
👉🏾 1:1 interview preparation coaching to help aspiring school leaders prepare for interviews and transition confidently into leadership roles: https://donovansmalls2.com/coaching
If you’re interviewing for your first leadership role this episode will help you close interviews with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
------------------------
Streaming on:
📺 YouTube 🔗 https://urlgeni.us/youtube/channel/L0Y2m
🎧 Apple Podcasts 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/mv7f683k
🎧 Spotify 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/4wydt4nr