Hey, I’m Burke.
I run school operations for a living — buses, boilers, budgets, and everything in between.
Each week, I share the lessons nobody’s teaching in leadership books — just what works when you’re actually in the building.
If you’re in the trenches too, this is for you.
Let’s jump in.
PS - read to the end, the bonus I promised last week is there!
Why the COACH Model Fits School Operations Leadership
One challenge we keep running into is this: how do we help head custodians become better leaders?
They were promoted because they were technically skilled, reliable, and trustworthy. They earned it.
But here’s the gap, being a great worker isn’t the same as leading people. Leadership takes a completely different skill set.
I came across Shawn Galloway’s book where he lays out the COACH model, and it clicked immediately. This framework isn’t just for safety or corporate settings — it’s perfect for K–12 operations.
There’s never been a better time to be remarkable. It’s never been a worse time to be unremarkable. The reality is 99% of us and our children are unremarkable.”
Scott Galloway
Why? Because so many of us came up the same way. Hard work in a trade. Long hours in food service. Driving buses. Running kitchens. Fixing boilers.
We got promoted because we were good at the work.
But to succeed as leaders, we need a playbook for leading people.
That’s where COACH comes in.