Lead Like a Coach
What the best coaches know about leading people: calm, clear standards, honest feedback and recognizing growth out loud.
Leadership teams · TeachersKeynotes · Workshops · Strategic Planning
Lead likea coach.
Dr. Joe Willis helps school leaders and teams turn clear expectations, honest feedback and shared purpose into everyday practice. Leadership lessons from the field, built for the work you do.
For school leaders, boards and teams ready to grow.
25Years in education
10Years as a principal
9Presentation venues & associations
Ed.D.Educational Leadership
About Dr. Willis
Every role. Every side of the table.
- Teacher social studies, ACT prep, health & PE
- Coach high school football, track & baseball
- Principal ten years, including opening a new school
- Board member four years on a school board
- Strategic planner led the rewrite of a district strategic plan
- Assistant superintendent leading a district's administrators
Dr. Joe Willis has spent 25 years in schools, and he has led from almost every seat in the building. He started as a high school social studies teacher, once teaching nine different courses in a single year, and coached high school football, track and baseball. He has also taught health and physical education and served as a library media specialist.
As a middle school principal for ten years, he opened a brand-new school, hiring its first staff and building its culture from day one. That school went on to rank first in its district and county in many state-tested areas. Earlier in his career he led his district's teachers' association, and he later served on a school board, so he knows how trust is built on every side of the table.
Today he is an assistant superintendent who leads and supports a district's administrators, leads his district's strategic planning, and trains new superintendents and school leaders across Missouri. His channel, Lead Like a Coach, shares one practical leadership skill at a time, drawing on the lessons of great coaches and his own years in schools.
Speaking & Workshops
Bring Dr. Willis to your team
Keynotes, workshops and leadership retreats for administrators, teachers, school boards and any team that wants to grow its people.
Good to Great: Growing the People You Lead
How to spot potential, coach with questions instead of answers and build a bench of future leaders.
Principals · AdministratorsCulture from Day One
Lessons from opening a brand-new school: hiring for culture, setting expectations early and keeping them.
New leaders · Building teamsBoth Sides of the Table
Building trust between staff, administration and the board, from someone who has sat in every chair.
Boards · District leadersMaking Sense of the APR
A clear, practical walk through Missouri's Annual Performance Report and how to turn the data into action.
Superintendents · Board presidentsCharacter That Shows Up
Character education, attendance and anti-bullying work that changes a school's day-to-day culture.
Schools · ConferencesAI Is More Than a Chatbot: Tools for Leaders
A practical introduction to using AI beyond a chatbot: writing, planning, working with data and managing day-to-day tasks. Explore useful tools alongside clear guardrails for student and staff information.
Administrators · Leadership teams · Conferences
KeynotesHalf- & full-day workshopsAdministrator retreatsBoard trainingStrategic planning facilitationConference sessions
Strategic Planning
A plan your people actually use
Dr. Willis led the rewrite of his district's strategic plan and has served on school improvement planning teams as a principal and as a school board member. He helps districts, schools and boards build plans that are clear, owned by the people doing the work and checked all year long.
Plan with Dr. Willis
- Listen firstGather input from staff, families, students and the board before writing a word.
- Set a few clear goalsFocus on the handful of priorities that matter most, written so everyone understands them.
- Decide how you'll measure itPick the data and milestones that show whether the plan is working.
- Keep it aliveBuild in regular check-ins so the plan guides decisions all year instead of sitting on a shelf.
Speaking experience
From state associations to national conferences
Presentations for school administrators, boards and educators across these conferences and organizations.
Missouri Association of School Administrators
MSBA State Convention
National Character Education Conference
National Anti-Bullying Conference
Missouri Association of Secondary Principals
Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals
Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education
State Character Education Conference
Jefferson County Truancy Conference
Awards & recognition
A career of service. A record of recognition.
Honors for Dr. Willis and for the schools and programs he has led.
Ed.D., Educational LeadershipSaint Louis University
Ed.S., AdministrationSoutheast Missouri State University
M.A., Education AdministrationMissouri Baptist University
B.A., History / EducationLindenwood University
- First-ever MASA Outstanding Assistant Superintendent, Greater St. Louis
- National and Missouri School of Character
- Solution Tree Model PLC School
- 17 CEP National Promising Practice awards
- DESE Inspire by Example Award
- School Counselor Association Advocate of the Year
- MSBA Board Governance Award
- MSBA Early Childhood of the Year
- St. Louis Cardinals Champions of Character
- St. Louis Rams Character Fitness Model School
Beyond inspiration
Give your team something to use.
01
Words for the hard moments
Practical ways to open a difficult conversation, give feedback and set clear expectations.
02
Priorities people understand
A shared language for what matters and how each person contributes.
03
Habits that carry forward
Small, repeatable actions to take the work beyond a single session.
Latest from the channel
One skill you can use tomorrow
Book Dr. Willis
Let's build your team
Tell Dr. Willis about your audience and what you want to accomplish. You do not need a final date or a fully planned event to start a conversation.
- Keynotes and breakout sessions
- Workshops for administrators and teacher leaders
- School board and new superintendent training
- Strategic planning facilitation for districts, schools and boards
What happens next
- Share your plans. Your inquiry goes directly to Dr. Willis.
- Discuss the fit. He replies by email to talk through your audience, goals and availability.
- Agree on the details. Scope, timing and fees are confirmed together.
This is an inquiry, not a confirmed reservation. No payment is collected here.