2026 National School Leaders Conference

July 13–15, 2026 · Disney's Coronado Springs Resort · Orlando, Florida

Craig's Session: Monday, July 13 · 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Session Resources

The Human Work of Brave Leadership

The Brave Leader's Compass: Human-Centered Leadership That Builds Trust, Culture, and Results

Some leadership challenges cannot be solved by strategy alone.

There are moments when the framework is not enough.

Those moments are not interruptions to leadership. They are leadership.

Send Me the Resources

A child dies.

A staff member organizes against a decision you made.

A trusted relationship breaks down.

Someone continues to resist the direction of the work.

A difficult conversation gets avoided for so long that the avoidance becomes part of the harm.

You are trying to hold the vision, care for people, protect the integrity of the work, and make a decision that may not leave everyone satisfied.

Those moments are not interruptions to leadership. They are leadership.

What's Included

What You Will Receive

The 4Rs of Repair™

A heart-centered framework for restoring trust, dignity, and shared purpose after interpersonal or systemic harm.

Recognize the Impact Name what happened, who was affected, and what values, identities, or larger patterns may be involved.

Reach-In with Empathy Pause to locate your own feelings and truths while considering what others may be carrying.

Rebuild Trust Address the misalignment clearly and create a path forward grounded in honesty rather than punishment.

Recommit to Shared Values Return to the mission and commitments that connect the community and identify a concrete next step.

Includes reflection prompts and a guided "Mapping Your 4Rs Moment" activity.

Chapter One of The Brave Leaders Playbook

Receive the opening chapter of The Brave Leaders Playbook.

This chapter introduces the reflective work behind brave leadership and invites leaders to examine how values, identity, experience, and relationships shape the way they lead.

"The real work is understanding how we carry people while making the decision."

The C.A.R.E.™ Framework

A practical tool for giving feedback and addressing difficult workplace behavior.

Clear Name the specific behavior or situation without vague language.

Actionable State the concrete shift or expectation that is needed.

Rooted in Values Connect the feedback to the value, commitment, or impact that matters.

Empathetic Acknowledge the person's humanity without excusing the impact of the behavior.

Includes a ready-to-use response formula, examples, and practice scenarios involving disagreement, missed commitments, identity-based harm, burnout, avoidance, and blurred roles.

Is This for You?

These Resources May Be for You If…

You are a school or district leader navigating a moment that strategy alone cannot solve.

You want to build a leadership culture grounded in trust, belonging, and accountability.

You are ready to move from intention to practice in your work with adults and students.

You attended today's session and want to go deeper with your team.

You are exploring coaching, consulting, or professional learning with Craig.

Get the Resources

Send Me the Resources

Complete the form to receive:

The 4Rs of Repair™

Chapter One of The Brave Leaders Playbook

The C.A.R.E.™ Framework

Check your email after submitting for access to all three resources.

A Note from Craig

Thank you for being in the room today. The work of brave leadership is not easy, and the fact that you showed up — and that you are here now — tells me something important about who you are as a leader.

The resources I am sharing are designed to extend what we explored together — not just as information, but as an invitation to practice. I hope they are useful to you and to your team.

If you want to go deeper — through coaching, consulting, or bringing this work to your school or district — I would love to connect.

— Craig Aarons-Martin

Next Steps

Continue the Conversation

The questions leaders carry do not end when the session ends.

In August, I am opening the Brave Leaders Lounge — a reflective virtual space for leaders who want to talk honestly about the situations they cannot always discuss in staff meetings, leadership teams, or public.

Join the Brave Leaders Lounge Interest List Book a Discovery Call

About the Speaker

Craig Aarons-Martin

Craig Aarons-Martin is an award-winning educator, former teacher, principal, executive director and superintendent, consultant, leadership coach, author, facilitator, speaker, and civic leader. He is the founder and CEO of CCM Education Group Consulting LLC, a Massachusetts-based, certified minority-owned education consulting firm.

Craig is a National Distinguished Principal, three-time top selling author, and Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth. His work is grounded in leadership practice, belonging, trust, adult culture, organizational alignment, and sustainable improvement.

Book a Discovery Call Learn More About Craig