About My Book

My name is Dr. Jo Lein, and I am the author of Burn the Script. I wrote this book because I’ve seen too many coaches (myself included) fall into the trap of focusing on behaviors without understanding the beliefs beneath them. After working with nearly 300 novice educators and dozens of school leaders, I realized that real transformation doesn’t come from telling people what to do—it comes from helping them unlearn what’s holding them back.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you’ll discover how to coach in ways that not only shift actions, but reshape mindsets. I want you to see this book as a toolbox, a mindset reset, and a model for transformation when the stakes are high and the usual strategies fall flat.

In Burn the Script, you’ll learn how to:

• Diagnose resistance not as defiance, but as protection
• Use belief repair to create momentum instead of shame
• Coach identity-level change with empathy, clarity, and precision
  

You’ll walk alongside:

• A second-year ELA teacher who believed that being strict would cost her authenticity—and what happened when she flipped that belief
• A school leader grappling with race and power in a coaching relationship where trust had broken down
• A Fortune 500 manager whose entire team was burned out, and how one mindset shift helped them all move forward
  

You’ll love this book if:

• You’re a coach, leader, or teacher who has hit the wall with traditional coaching
• You care deeply about helping others grow, but feel like you’re repeating yourself without seeing results
• You want to make change stick without triggering shame, fear, or retreat
  

Burn the Script is a nonfiction book for leaders, coaches, and educators who are encountering resistance—and want tools to move through it with empathy, strategy, and impact. It’s for anyone who knows there’s more to coaching than skill-building alone.

Launch Ticket Perks & Exclusive Packages

Everyone who purchases during my presale will receive:

• A physical copy (paperback) or digital copy (ebook) when I publish in Spring 2026.
• The opportunity to have your name featured in the Acknowledgements section of my book (“with Special Thanks to”). 
• You will be invited to join my Author Community and get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks into the publishing process.
• You will have the opportunity to be involved in finalizing my cover and title.
• Early access to the Introduction and select excerpts near the final draft.
• And more!

More About My Publishing Journey

My publisher (Manuscripts) gave me a publishing team to help me produce and launch my book. I am working with:

• A revisions editor, copy editor, and proofreader this summer to further hone my book (when you buy a copy during my presale, you’ll get early excerpts and access to earlier versions of my manuscript!)
• A marketing specialist to coach and support me in marketing efforts, and help me reach new audiences
• A cover artist and layout editor who will be designing my book. (The mockups you see currently are a placeholder!)

I am also looking at releasing my book as a hardcover and audiobook edition based on the number of copies sold during the presale:

• If I pre-sell at least 250 books during my presale, I will also publish an audiobook edition.
• If I pre-sell at least 300 books during my presale, I will publish a hardcover edition and an audiobook.

Other Ways to Support Me

Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help:

• Please share my presale campaign on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Substack with your friends, family and network. Please use #BurnTheScript and tag me so we can help amplify your efforts.
• Please recommend my book to five (5) friends, family members, or co-workers who you think would enjoy it via text or direct message on social media.

Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

Thanks again,

Jo

About The Author

Dr. Jo Lein is a leadership coach, talent strategist, and former assistant superintendent. She developed the competence-supportive coaching model during her doctoral research and went on to found a nonprofit that brings coaching to under-resourced districts. While practice-based coaching builds skill, Jo noticed something was missing: mindset. That realization led to a multi-year study—and this book.

Her writing blends real talk, deep empathy, and systems thinking to help leaders and coaches shift beliefs, build collective efficacy, and disrupt patterns that disempower educators. Her forthcoming book, Burn the Script: How Great Coaches Disrupt Mindsets and Transform Practice, introduces a radical new model for belief repair and transformative coaching in high-stakes environments.

When she’s not writing or coaching, you’ll find Jo playing competitive backgammon, corralling her “alley cat” children, or on a yoga mat, finding her breath and her next idea.

You can follow her work on Instagram (@educoachbyjo), TikTok (@educoachbyjo), and Substack (jolein.substack.com).

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