Conflict Resolution · Leadership Development · School Culture
District-level conflict resolution training, coaching, and consulting for school leaders — built on 31 years of real practice and the proprietary R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework.
Dr. Willie J. Black Jr.
Ed.D., CPC, NCPM
"Lead from the middle.
Resolve from the root."
The Case for This Work
Districts invest heavily in instructional PD. They train teachers in classroom management and curriculum. But when it comes to conflict resolution — the skill administrators use every single day — there is almost no dedicated preparation. That gap is where Dr. Black works.
Classroom management, instructional strategies, student engagement. Robust investment — and rightly so.
Campus operations, data, compliance, instructional leadership. Broad and important — but conflict resolution is rarely the sole focus.
School leaders are expected to resolve complex conflicts daily — between staff, parents, and teams — with almost no formal training to do it well. That ends here.
Unresolved conflict drives staff turnover, formal grievances, lost instructional time, and eroded campus culture. The stakes are real.
Conflict resolution is not a soft skill. It IS the leadership skill. When leaders resolve conflict well, campuses thrive.
A proven seven-phase framework, built by a school administrator, for school administrators — grounded in 31 years of real campus experience.
The Proprietary Framework
Seven phases. One system. Built from the inside of the schoolhouse — not from a textbook. Every phase is grounded in what real administrators face in real conflict conversations, every single day.
The R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework is the backbone of every training, coaching engagement, and district consultation Dr. Black delivers. It is also the spine of his forthcoming book, Leading Through Conflict: A Field Guide for School Leaders.
Bring the Framework to Your DistrictHow Dr. Black Works With Districts
Every engagement is built around your district's real conflict challenges — not a generic workshop pulled off the shelf.
Service 01
A fully branded, two-hour administrator PD session built around the R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework. Includes branded slide deck, participant packet, conflict style assessment, role-play scenarios, conflict documentation training, and accountability pledge. Scalable to half-day and full-day formats.
Inquire About SchedulingService 02
One-on-one or small group coaching for principals and assistant principals navigating real conflict situations on their campuses. Grounded in the R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework and Dr. Black's four years of active administrator coaching experience across Texas districts.
Start the ConversationService 03
Formal mediation services for district-level conflicts — staff grievances, team breakdowns, administrator disputes. Dr. Black holds the National Certified Professional Mediator (NCPM) credential and a NACM Conflict Resolution Certification, with a Mediation Trainer of Trainers designation.
Request a ConsultationService 04
A self-paced 15-lesson online course walking school leaders through every phase of the R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework — with video instruction, assessments, workbooks, and downloadable tools. Available for individual enrollment and district licensing.
Get Early AccessComing Soon
Leading Through
Conflict
A Field Guide for School Leaders
Forthcoming Book
Seven chapters. One framework. Built for the school leader who faces conflict every day and deserves the tools to navigate it with confidence, skill, and dignity.
Unlike dense academic texts or generic leadership books, Leading Through Conflict is written by someone who lived in the schoolhouse for 21 years — who sat in those hard conversations, made those calls, and learned what actually works.
Dr. Black doesn't just teach conflict resolution — he models it. Every tool he brings into a training session comes from real experience inside the schoolhouse. Our principals left with a framework they could use on Monday morning.
District Leader · Texas K–12
Keynote & Conference Speaking
Dr. Black is now accepting keynote, breakout session, and conference speaking invitations. With 31 years of practitioner experience and a proprietary conflict resolution framework, he brings a message that is grounded, practical, and built for the rooms where school leaders gather.
Signature Keynote
A high-impact keynote that reframes conflict as the most powerful leadership development tool in a school leader's career — and introduces the R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework as the practical system for turning difficult conversations into culture-building moments.
Dr. Black is actively seeking speaking opportunities at the conferences and convenings where school leaders grow. If you represent one of these organizations or a similar audience, he would welcome the conversation.
Free Diagnostic Tool
Take the confidential Campus Conflict Readiness Assessment — a 14-question self-assessment built on the same R.E.S.O.L.V.E.™ Framework used in every training Dr. Black delivers. Get an instant, scored readout on your campus's conflict climate and your own readiness as a leader.
Work With Dr. Black
Whether you're a district leader looking to bring conflict resolution training to your campus principals, a conference organizer seeking a keynote speaker, or an administrator ready for one-on-one coaching — this is the right place to start.