Episode 204

Episode 204: Principal Matters with William D. Parker

Published on: 20th April, 2025

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with the brilliant William D. Parker—an award-winning former principal, author, speaker, and executive coach. Will is the founder of Principal Matters, LLC and the host of Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast, with over 1.5 million downloads. Through his coaching, books, and virtual leadership academies, Will empowers school leaders to improve culture, communication, and student outcomes.

Together, Darrin and Will dive deep into the real and raw experiences of school leadership. Will shares his journey from teacher to principal, including the moment he almost walked away from education—and the letter of resignation that changed his life. They explore the importance of reflection, well-being, and why leaders must pour into themselves before they can lead others.

They also discuss Will’s latest book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love, and how leaders can take back their autonomy by acting with clarity, curiosity, and intention.

Key Takeaways:

  • Leadership begins with personal wellness: Will's turning point came through a wake-up call at home, leading him to redefine how he approached leadership.
  • The question every educator should ask: Whose permission are you waiting for?
  • Leading with curiosity can unlock clarity and drive real school improvement.
  • Scaling your influence is not about doing more—it’s about sharing your expertise and elevating others.
  • Reflection and coaching provide the safe space leaders need to grow.

Quotes:

"You become a better leader when you start pouring into yourself."
"You don't need someone's permission to do what's right for kids."
"Scaling your influence is an obligation. Don't keep your expertise to yourself."
"Curiosity + Inquiry = Discovery. That's the formula for powerful leadership."

Connect with William D. Parker:

Resources Mentioned:

Want more? Visit roadtoawesome.net for leadership coaching, professional development, and keynote speaking that inspires and equips school leaders to lean into their purpose and lead with clarity.

All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Leaning into Leadership

About the Podcast

Leaning into Leadership
A Road to Awesome Podcast
We all want to see successes in both our personal and professional lives. Often, that requires strong leadership. In a time when leadership can be more challenging than ever, this podcast is dedicated to cultivating leaders by elevating the voices of leaders and promoting positivity. Join Dr. Darrin Peppard, lifelong educator and best-selling author, for this mixed platform podcast (some solo, some guest interview) for inspiration and insight, and some great leadership stories from those are living it, excelling at it, and celebrating it. Together, let's lean into leadership.

About your host

Profile picture for Darrin Peppard

Darrin Peppard

Darrin Peppard is an author, publisher, speaker, and consultant focused on what matters most in leadership and education. Darrin is an expert in school culture and climate, as well as coaching and growing emerging leaders, and is the author of the best selling book Road to Awesome: Empower, Lead, Change the Game.

Darrin was named the 2016 Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP and was the 2015 Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year. In 2017, Darrin earned his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wyoming. Darrin was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame in 2019.

Darrin now shares his experiences from over 25 years in education, specifically those learned as an education leader during the past 13 years. As a ‘recovering’ high school principal, Darrin shares lessons learned and effective strategies from over 25 years in public education to help leaders (both adults and students) to become more effective and positively impact the world around them. Connect with Darrin at roadtoawesome.net