Litwornia

2017

Leadership Interview Protocol for EDU 801: Transformative Leadership

Name of Interviewer: Dana Litwornia, University of New England
Name of Interviewee: Annette Castiglione
Date: May 24th, 2017
Location: Bellmawr, NJ

Opening

Good morning Ms. Castiglione. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak
with me about your thoughts on leadership. As you know I am a doctoral student
at University New England and am currently enrolled in the Transformative
Leadership course. This course requires that we conduct an interview with a
leader and collect their thoughts on leadership. The interview should last about
45 minutes. While conducting the interview, would it be okay if I record our
conversation? I want to ensure I capture all your thoughts. The recording will only
be heard by me. Please note this interview is voluntary and I will protect your
name when sharing any documents with my class. If you do not want to move
forward with the interview or do not want to answer a specific question, please
let me know. Does this all sound okay? Do you have any questions before we
begin?

Introduction to Leadership

Over the past several weeks we have learned a great deal about leadership from
various leadership authors and theorists. Between these authors they have talked
about the importance of leaders developing the skills necessary to effectively lead
their organization and teams through a variety of skills such as promoting a
shared vision, communicating change, addressing conflict, embracing and
cultivating culture and assessing ones own developmental needs. You will find
that my questions center on these factors.

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Guiding Questions

1. Can you describe your leadership style?

Notes:

Transition: Thank you for sharing and describing your leadership style? A leaders
ability to communicate a shared vision, is critical to the success of the
organization, leader and follower themselves.

2. How do you develop a shared vision for your department or organization?

Follow-up Question: How is the shared vision communicated to your team?

Notes:

3. Can you share a recent change effort that you lead with successes and
lessons learned?
Follow-up Question: If there was resistance to change how did you address it?

Notes:

4. What if any impact does the organizational culture have on your

leadership style?
Notes:

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5. What resources and or strategies do you use to continue to develop as a

leader?
Follow-up Question: Can you share specific skills that you find support effective
leadership?

Notes:

Transition: Followers identify with their successful superiors. Business executives

see successful superiors as symbols of achievement (Bass 1215).

6. Before you were a leader, who were the successful superiors (if any) that
most influenced your leadership style today?

Follow up Question: Has your leadership style changed throughout your
tenure? If so, how.
Notes:

7. As a leader that how would/do you encourage passive followers to

become more active?

Follow up Question: If that follower continues to be passive after
encouragement how would you proceed? Can you give an example?
Notes:

8. In your position as superintendent of schools you must deal with complex

group dynamics in order to produce the best possible end result, how does
that look in the following scenarios:
Faculty that dominate group conversations.
Faculty members that have habitual side conversations within groups
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Group members that will not participate

Group members that do take on much
Detrimental influencers (rotten apples) within groups that have
tenure
Notes:



9. How do you keep your subordinates focused on the district goals?

Follow Up Question: How to you help them when they are overwhelmed
or having difficulty with other groups.
Notes:

Closing:

Ms. Castiglione, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I found our
interview very insightful and interesting. If you have any other thoughts or
comments you would like to share following the interview, please feel free to
contact me.