Leader Interview: Kathleen Devaney

Leader Interview: Kathleen Devaney, Westminster School

Leadership Roles

Form (class) Dean

Kathleen has been a form dean for the past 17 years at Westminster School

Adminstrator

Recently, Kathleen was hired as the Assistant Headmaster

"Our faculty are the most important asset to our school. I feel that it is my job to support, encourage, applaud, help and acknowledge all that faculty accomplish."

Coach

Kathleen coached many successful seasons and teams of varying levels in soccer and lacrosse throughout her career

Over-arching ideas

Relationship-Oriented:

"Developing relationships with both groups (faculty and students) is something I enjoy, which is helpful because I think relationships are the root of being a good form dean and an effective assistant head."

References:

Natural Leader

vs.

Learned Leader

Respect and Trust:

"The end game has to be a climate of trust and respect for both students and faculty and that is an on-going challenge."

Northouse, P. (2012). Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

"There are natural leaders, but even natural leaders need to learn aspects of leadership."

On bosses:

"...the ones that got the best work out of me were ones I cared about and I knew cared about me."

Values in Leadership Roles

Assistant Headmaster

Supportive role to faculty

"I try to support faculty so that they are better able to do their jobs. It is essential they feel supported and mentored."

Athletics

Form Dean

-Success: "when our collective level of play surpassed our individual abilities."

-Synergy between coach and players

"Every player felt valued and had a clear notion of their role, and the team is what brought out their individual excellence."

-How did Kathleen accomplish synergy?

"I always preached that, while not everyone can be a starter, hard work is always valued."

Respect:

"I find that students respond best when it is clear that you respect and like them."

Leadership Traits

Be Approachable

Be Invested

"...a leader needs to first and foremost connect with members of their team."

"Being invested in the everyday workings of the institution's common goals is essential for a leader to be effective."

Be Responsive

"A leader needs to 'respond' to the needs of the team and assess how the needs of the individual fit with the needs of the institution."