Stop to Smell the Coffee - No More Gulp and Go Leadership

Let’s face it—as an administrator, the days often blur together. You wake up, drive to school, and sometimes don’t even remember the ride that brought you to the building. You pull up, brew a cup of coffee in your office, glance at the calendar, tackle the never-ending to-do list, and dive straight in.

From there, it’s a whirlwind: phone calls, emails, meetings, parent concerns, teacher check-ins, community needs. Each task you complete seems to multiply—three new ones take its place. By the time dismissal rolls around, it feels like the day just began. And while you’ve worked hard, solved problems, and kept things moving forward, you may realize you never had the chance to truly feel the joy of the work.

This kind of pace, day after day, can burn out even the strongest leader. Yes, the job is fulfilling. But the constant grind can rob us of the deeper satisfaction that drew us to this profession in the first place.

The truth is: this job is a lot like a cup of coffee. Too often, we brew it, gulp it down, and move on—never pausing to savor the aroma, appreciate the warmth, or enjoy the delicate notes of flavor. “Gulp and go” leadership may get us through the day, but it robs us of the richness hidden in the small things.

As the school year unfolds, I want to encourage you—and remind myself—to stop and savor the coffee. Take the time to notice the small joys that surround us every single day.

• Do you pause to embrace the smiles of students as they greet you with a high five or hug?

• Do you thank the teacher who consistently brightens a student’s day with a simple hello in the hallway?

• Do you pop into classrooms—not just to observe instruction, but to marvel at the artistry of teaching in action?

• Do you notice the subtle ways a teacher lifts a child’s confidence?

• Do you call a parent just to say thank you for showing up time and again to volunteer?

• Do you celebrate your custodians for keeping the building welcoming and spotless?

• Do you walk through the cafeteria, not to check boxes, but to appreciate the role it plays in nourishing and caring for kids?

When we take time to be thankful for the little things, we see more clearly that we are surrounded by purpose. Challenges will always be there—emails, meetings, discipline issues, difficult conversations—but so will the everyday miracles happening in our schools.

So tomorrow morning, as you sip that first cup of coffee, breathe it in. Let the aroma remind you to slow down. Let the flavor remind you to notice the details. And let the warmth remind you that you are part of something bigger—an incredible team of people called to make a difference in children’s lives.

Savor the coffee. Savor the school. I think you’ll find a deeper joy in your journey.