Tania Willis PCC FIML MAITD

Leadership Coach | ICF Australasian Chapter President | Founder of Advantage Coaching & Consulting

Hi, I'm Tania - and I'm so pleased you're here.

I work with emerging and evolving leaders who are navigating the messy, complex reality of leadership: the strategic decisions that keep you up at night, the team dynamics that don't respond to textbook solutions, and the constant tension between who you are and who you think a leader "should" be.

If you're leading in the public sector, higher education, or any people-centred organisation where the stakes are high and the challenges are complex - I get it. I've been there.

My love affair with leadership development started with students.

Early in my career, I worked in residential halls where I focused on student wellbeing, student leadership development, and academic support. This hands-on experience with young people navigating the challenges of university life showed me the transformative power of good leadership support and sparked my passion for developing leaders at all stages.

That passion deepened when I had the privilege of co-creating a global undergraduate leadership program in collaboration with an international university, focused on developing students' capacity to navigate leadership across cultures and contexts. Watching young leaders discover their strengths, build confidence, and step into their potential - that's when I knew leadership development was my calling.

But I didn't jump straight into coaching. For the last 20 years of a 30-year career in higher education, I held senior leadership roles, leading small and large teams and complex, people-centred portfolios. In my final role as a senior wellbeing leader, I was responsible for building and leading operational teams to improve student wellbeing, student equity and engagement and transition and support across a G08 university. A key achievement was the establishment of a 24/7 critical incident management and wellbeing response team and the design and delivery of training programs to equip staff - from academic teams to residential communities - to respond to high-pressure situations with confidence and care.  Additionally, I contributed to sector-wide training initiatives, including the development of online wellbeing and response training programs now used across universities in Australia and internationally.

This experience taught me what leadership really looks like when the pressure is on: the weight of responsibility, the complexity of human dynamics, the toll it takes when you're always "on," and the courage it requires to lead with both strength and compassion.

It also led to my own burnout, and after COVID, I did what many leaders eventually do - I paused, reassessed, and made a change. I left my senior role, formally retrained as a professional coach, and in 2021, I founded Advantage Coaching & Consulting.

What This Means for You

Because I've sat in your seat, I bring a coaching style that's both empathetic and practical. I know what it's like to lead through uncertainty, to manage teams through crisis, to balance competing priorities, and to question whether you're doing "enough."

My approach is grounded in evidence - neuroscience, positive psychology, strengths-based coaching, and intercultural development - but it's never academic for the sake of it. Everything I do is designed to help you build the self-awareness, clarity, and confidence to lead authentically and effectively.

I'm also honoured to serve as President of ICF Australasia (the International Coaching Federation's charter chapter for Australia and New Zealand), which keeps me deeply connected to the global coaching profession and committed to the highest standards of ethical, professional coaching practice.

How I Work

I specialise in one-on-one leadership and executive coaching, but I also facilitate team workshops, leadership development programs, and organisational change initiatives. My work is informed by decades of leadership experience and supported by:

• Strengths-based approaches: I'm an accredited Strengths Profile Practitioner and Certified Enabling Strengths Facilitator
• Psychological safety: Certified in The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety
• Assessment tools: Accredited in DISC, Driving Forces, TRIMEX EQ, and Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)
• Evidence-based frameworks: Certifications in Positive Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, Motivation and Goal Achievement, Resilience, and Self-Acceptance

Whether you're stepping into a new leadership role, navigating a complex transition, building a thriving team culture, or simply trying to lead in a way that feels true to who you are, I'm here to help you get clear, get confident, and create real change.

Let's Talk

If you're ready to explore what's possible—for you, your team, or your organisation—I'd love to hear from you.

Book a clarity call and let's talk about where you are, where you want to be, and how coaching, a leadership program or a workshop might help you get there.

Or, if you're not quite ready to talk but want to stay connected, subscribe to my Advantage Point newsletter on LinkedIn, where I share research-backed insights on leadership, coaching, and building cultures where both strategy and people thrive.

Ready to take the next step?

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