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Are You Compromising or Collaborating? The Fine Line in Leadership Interviews

  • Catherine Addor
  • Sep 21
  • 3 min read
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Fundamental Friday: Integrity at the Interview Table


When educators and leaders pursue new opportunities, the unspoken tension often arises: Do I bend my beliefs and values to align with those of a board or community because I need the job?


We know that interviews are a two-way street. I am interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me. The reality of needing a paycheck, a position, or a pathway forward can tempt us into saying what they want to hear, rather than what we truly believe. Here’s the truth: when you bend your values in the beginning, you risk planting seeds of strife that may later bloom into conflict, distrust, and misalignment with your own moral compass.


The Integrity Question


If you compromise your core values at the start, can you ever lead authentically? Can you expect respect when the foundation of your professional relationship was built on pretense? The other side of this coin asks: Is it possible to enter a system with a vision for guiding it toward ethical behavior, equity, and broader perspectives?


Sometimes, boards and communities exhibit myopic tendencies because they haven’t yet been challenged with new ideas, or they lack confidence that change will be in the best interests of all students. That’s where the interview becomes more than a transaction. It becomes an opportunity to gauge whether this is a place where your leadership can foster growth.


Questions to Ask Yourself

Before stepping into that interview room, reflect on these:


  • Which of my core values are non-negotiable?

  • Where am I willing to flex or adapt without compromising my integrity?

  • Am I willing to invest the time and emotional energy required to shift my perspective here?

  • Can I envision myself working in partnership with this board/community to move beyond narrow views toward inclusivity and equity?


Questions to Consider about the Agency


  • How does the district define success for all students?

  • What recent decisions reflect the board’s commitment to equity and ethical practice?

  • How do you handle conflict when values or perspectives differ?

  • What does the community most hope to preserve, and where are they open to change?


Action Steps


  • Name Your Non-Negotiables: Write down the beliefs you will not compromise—whether that’s equity, student voice, or inclusive practices.

  • Practice Honest Responses: In mock interviews, answer tough questions in ways that align with your values. If you can’t do this honestly, the role may not be right for you.

  • Use the Interview as a Mirror: Listen closely to what is (and isn’t) said. Does the board’s language align with your mission, or is it coded with resistance to change?

  • Frame Yourself as a Guide, Not a Rebel: Position your leadership as an opportunity to expand the district’s lens, not dismantle their culture. Ethical shifts require trust.

  • Decide Early: If the board expects you to silence your values, you must decide if the short-term gain of a job is worth the long-term cost to your integrity.


10 Questions Leaders Should Ask at the Interview Table


  1. Equity & Access: How does the district ensure equitable opportunities and resources for all students, including those with special needs, English language learners, and historically marginalized groups?

  2. Decision-Making: Can you describe a recent difficult decision the board faced? What values guided the outcome?

  3. Community Voice: How does the district gather and integrate feedback from students, families, and staff in shaping policy and practice?

  4. Conflict & Disagreement: When board members or community stakeholders disagree, what processes are in place to resolve conflict constructively?

  5. Student-Centered Focus: What are the district’s top three priorities for students over the next five years?

  6. Cultural Responsiveness: How does the district celebrate and support the diversity of its community?

  7. Professional Integrity: How does the board support leaders in making decisions that may be unpopular but are in the best interest of students?

  8. Growth Mindset: What opportunities are there for innovation, and how does the district respond to new ideas?

  9. Transparency & Communication: How does the board communicate its decisions to staff, families, and the wider community?

  10. Alignment of Values: If I were to speak with students, what would they say the district stands for?


An interview is not only about proving your worth—it’s about determining whether the system before you is ready for the leader you are. Bending your values may win you a role, but it can cost you peace, credibility, and the very integrity that makes you a leader worth hiring. The strongest leaders walk into interviews clear-eyed, grounded in their purpose, and open to collaboration; never at the expense of who they are.


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