Conflict Leadership Programme
Leading before it burns — not after.
It is rarely as simple as it looks
Conflict at work is often described as something that “arises between two people.”
In my experience, it isn’t.
Conflict almost always points to something larger than the two people who happen to be standing in the room. Unspoken expectations. Unclear roles. A change no one had the energy to talk about. A silence that has been growing in the corner of a team for six months.
And by the time it finally surfaces — when someone emails HR, when someone goes on sick leave, when two colleagues stop saying good morning to each other — the conflict is already expensive. Between 200,000 and 500,000 SEK a year, when you factor in lost productivity, absence and recruitment costs.
The question is not whether you’ll meet conflict as a manager. The question is when — and whether you’ll have the language, the structure and the steadiness it takes when you do.
This programme is built for that moment.
This isn’t conflict management. It’s conflict leadership.
The difference is that you stop putting out fires and start recognising the smoke earlier.
I’ve worked with conflict and leadership for more than 20 years. In that time I’ve seen the same pattern again and again: conflict can almost always be resolved — but it is never resolved on its own. It requires someone, usually the manager, to act earlier than feels comfortable.
That instinct, that language, and those tools are what this programme is designed to develop in you.
After four weeks you will
- recognise early signals in your team before things escalate
- understand what the conflict is really about — beyond what is being said
- lead conversations that feel steady and professional, even when sensitive
- handle misunderstandings in hybrid settings calmly and early
- reduce friction, drama and energy leakage in the group
- save time and energy — your own and the team’s
When you are steady, others calm down. When you are clear, others dare to open up.
What it might look like in real life
Imagine you’re in a meeting.
Two people give each other short answers. Avoid eye contact. The atmosphere in the room drops. In a digital meeting the signals are different — cameras switch off, people go quiet, they “have something else on” when you suggest a check-in.
You might once have hoped they would “sort themselves out.” Waited until someone said something. Held back to avoid making it worse.
After the programme, you’ll understand why their behaviour looks the way it does. How to interrupt the spiral early — before it sets. How to keep the conversation calm, respectful and courageous. And how to lead it toward a resolution both parties feel they own.
It isn’t drama. It’s grounded leadership, with clear and human tools.
Legal clarity
Understand your responsibilities under Swedish labour law.
Human leadership
Address conflict early and with psychological safety.
Practical confidence
Know what to say, how to say it and when to act.
Programme Structure
WEEK 1 - DISCOVER
Understanding conflict in a Swedish workplace context
- What conflicts are and how they develop
- Early warning signs — before issues escalate
- The Traffic Light Model — a practical diagnostic tool
Conflicts rarely appear overnight. Your role as a manager is to notice the early signals — and act before the situation turns red.
WEEK 2 - CONSEQUENCES
The real cost of conflict — and your legal responsibility
- The cost of conflict: productivity, engagement and trust
- The Swedish work environment framework in practice
- Your responsibility as a manager under the Swedish Work Environment Act (2026)
In Sweden, managers carry a clear responsibility for the psychosocial work environment. Understanding this is not optional — it is part of your role.
WEEK 3 - SOLVE
From escalation to structured resolution
- How conflicts escalate — step by step
- Perspective shifting in multicultural teams
- A structured “light mediation” model for difficult conversations
When tensions rise, you need structure. This module gives you a clear conversation framework you can use the next day — whether your team is in Stockholm or across time zones.
WEEK 4 – PREVENT
Building a psychologically safe culture
- How the brain reacts to threat and safety
- The SCARF model and leadership behaviour
- Ground rules, attitudes and team dynamics
Prevention is leadership maturity. You’ll learn how to build clarity, psychological safety and shared responsibility — on site and in hybrid teams.
Who this programme is for
- International managers leading teams in Sweden
- Managers in organisations where English is the corporate language
- Leaders responsible for the psychosocial work environment under Swedish regulations
- HR professionals supporting international managers
Why this isn’t just another online course
There are plenty of conflict management courses now. Most are made by people who have read about it.
This one is made by someone who has been in the room — hundreds of times — when two managers could no longer speak to each other. When a team had gone silent. When someone finally understood what it was really about.
That is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Between a method and lived experience.
In a world where more and more of our tools are generated, that difference is not worth less. It is worth more.
The book behind the programme
This programme is built on the same methods you’ll find in Outstanding in the Middle — How Middle Managers Make the Difference.
The book was written in eight intensive weeks during the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, something I hadn’t planned for happened: it reached the top of Amazon’s bestseller lists in 12 different categories — in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. Along the way, it outranked books such as Atomic Habits, Start With Why and Mindset.
I remember sitting at my kitchen table in Sigtuna trying to make sense of what I was looking at. It wasn’t planned. And it remains the achievement I’m most grateful for in my professional life.
When you enrol in the programme, you receive a personally signed copy.
Investment — and what it’s actually worth
Before you look at the price, do the calculation most managers never make.
A single unresolved conflict between two team members costs on average 200,000–500,000 SEK per year — in lost productivity, sick leave, recruitment costs when someone resigns, and the time you as a manager spend putting out fires instead of leading.
This programme is built to help you resolve one such situation. Everything beyond that is pure return.
This isn’t an online course. It’s a programme.
The difference is the coaching, the book — and the fact that the teacher is the author.
What’s included:
- 4 structured modules with 8+ short lessons — follow at your own pace
- 12 months of access — revisit when real situations arise
- 3 live group coaching sessions directly with Birgitta within 3 months of completion — applying the methods to your actual conflicts
- A personally signed copy of Outstanding in the Middle
- Bonus video material
- Videos, exercises, checklists and templates
- Diploma upon completion
- Updated in line with the Swedish Work Environment Act (2026)
How it compares
- An open one-day conflict management course in Stockholm: 7,295–8,500 SEK excl. VAT (one day, no follow-up, no book)
- An in-house one-day workshop for up to 15 people: 25,000 SEK excl. VAT (one day, no follow-up)
- Private coaching with a certified conflict specialist: 2,500–4,000 SEK per hour
The three group coaching sessions alone are worth 7,500–12,000 SEK if purchased separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most programmes teach you what conflicts are. This one teaches you what to do — and when. You get concrete conversations, models you can use immediately, and an understanding of what happens in a group before conflict becomes visible. Three group coaching sessions are also included, where you work through your own real situations.
The programme runs over four weeks with short lessons — a common format is three times ten minutes. It’s deliberately designed to fit into a manager’s working day, with its meetings, decisions and interruptions. You set your own pace.
That’s exactly what this programme is built for. Most workplace conflicts never become open confrontations. They show up in people going quiet, in meetings where no one says what they’re actually thinking, in an atmosphere that slowly deteriorates. That’s the moment when it’s easiest to act — and hardest to know how.
More than most managers calculate. A single unresolved conflict between two team members costs on average 798,000 SEK per year — in lost productivity, sick leave, and recruitment costs when someone eventually leaves. That’s not a worst-case scenario. It’s what happens when no one acts in time.
The signals rarely look like open arguments. They show up in cameras switching off on video calls, in two colleagues who stop responding to each other in the chat, in meetings where the atmosphere is polite but no one says anything real. In a hybrid team, early signals are weaker and easier to miss — which makes it more important to know what you’re looking for.
Under the Work Environment Act (updated 2026), employers have a clear responsibility for the psychosocial work environment — which includes preventing and managing conflict. It’s not enough to react once something has already gone wrong. The law requires active, preventive work. In practice, that means you need both the tools and the language to act early.
Price: 12,500 SEK excl. VAT
Introductory price for the first 50 participants: 8,900 SEK excl. VAT
(available until seats are filled)
Included:
- 4 structured modules with 8+ lessons
- 12 months of access to all materials
- 3 live group coaching sessions with Birgitta
- Personally signed copy of Outstanding in the Middle
- Bonus material
- Diploma upon completion
- Updated in line with the Swedish Work Environment Act (2026)
Immediate access upon enrolment. The book ships within Sweden. International shipping available on request.
For deeper personal support: Premium 1-to-1
Prefer personal coaching instead of group coaching? The Premium version gives you 3 private sessions with Birgitta within 3 months — working on your specific situations in full confidence.
Premium price: 19,500 SEK excl. VAT
A final thought
Conflict cannot be avoided. But it can be understood, prevented and handled in a way that strengthens both people and results.
In the end, conflict rarely speaks only about the people involved. It speaks about what the leadership around them makes possible — and what, sometimes unintentionally, it limits.
This programme is about doing more of the first.
Testimonials
“I had just completed the digital programme ‘Conflict Management for the Hybrid Office’ over four weeks.
After the programme, I feel significantly more confident about keeping hybrid meetings on track — regardless of what happens. In an age when friction can appear quickly, you need to be able to spot early signs of irritation between team members and colleagues.
The very day after completing the programme, I tested the conflict management model ‘Perspective Shift’ with good results. I will definitely continue working with it. Through Galtung’s ABC model, I gained a deeper understanding of conflict — its causes and patterns — and the tools Birgitta shares with you.
One small ‘aha moment’ we all had: learning to calculate what an escalated conflict actually costs the organisation. It becomes very clear when you put it in numbers.”
Susanne Lange — People Development Partner
“I have just completed a conflict management programme that ran over four weeks online: ‘Conflict Management for the Hybrid Office.’
The programme has given me new tools for handling conflicts — and helped me take them seriously enough to address them in time. It’s also very well structured and pedagogically sound, with short sections that are easy to fit into a busy schedule. The content is excellent, and the approach has worked well for me — many short modules across four weeks, each inviting you to reflect on the next one.
I would genuinely recommend Birgitta Sjöstrand’s conflict management programme to anyone — even those who don’t work in a hybrid setting. It helps you discover, resolve and prevent conflicts before they escalate.”
Maria Bladholm — AniCura Djurklinik
a manager for a long time — but even the experienced need fresh input and reminders. You get that here.
There isn’t always time or appetite for lengthy programmes. Sometimes you want to get straight to the point. That’s exactly what Birgitta Sjöstrand manages to do here. If you value a format that is clear and accessible — as I do — you’ll find it in this programme.”
Camilla Uddman — Head of Unit, Enköpings Municipality
“A highly educational programme that addresses how to handle the conflicts that can arise from remote work. Well structured and pedagogically sound — I can warmly recommend it to anyone who wants to prevent conflict in the workplace.”
Emma Westerberg — Head of Origination, FinServe
“I was impressed by your expertise and how you master the topic. The course had very good content, and your teaching approach helped me absorb the important tools and strategies to deal with the challenges of handling conflicts. Now I feel confident and prepared to apply them in real life situations.”
-Marceya Lemos
“This was an interesting programme in conflict management — one you clearly know inside out. Genuinely straightforward, easy to follow, and rich in learning. Being able to revisit the material and receive direct feedback made a real difference.
I’ve attended several conflict management courses before. This one went deeper — into patterns, strategies, reading situations, and how to resolve and prevent conflict rather than just respond to it. I can warmly recommend it.”
Hans J Poulsen — Trainer in Leadership
“Birgitta addresses the consequences of hybrid working in a clear and informative way. With genuine engagement, she provides the right tools for spotting early signals of conflict and preventing them from escalating — while also presenting, in an exemplary way, the costs a business faces when friction arises, and how to mediate your way out of an unwanted situation.”
Lena Thimon — Funeral Adviser / Civil Celebrant / Estate Administrator
“I recently completed a four-week online programme in conflict management with Birgitta Sjöstrand, and I can warmly recommend it.
Birgitta is an engaging and pedagogical presenter — warm, approachable, and easy to follow. She has a professional manner, a positive attitude, and gives concrete examples you can actually use.
One of the most important insights I took away was the value of standing up for both my own and my team’s time and costs. I’ve learnt to be more direct and to ask for clearer information. That has given me greater confidence in handling challenging conversations constructively.”
Mia Olsson — NRB OTC Zone Key Use