Online and face to face training, coaching and events across the UK and Europe
Thrive Training Lab

Difficult Conversations & Conflict Resolution

Handle difficult conversations calmly, resolve disagreements constructively and turn tension into an agreed way forward.

You may have the idea, expertise or ambition — and still want more confidence in how you express it. Meetings, presentations, feedback and difficult conversations shape your experience of work and your next career step. We understand that growth is personal, not just a line on a development plan.

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Thrive Training Lab

Explore. Practise. Make it yours.

Duration

Half day · 3.5 hours per half day

Group size

6–8 delegates

Format

Online or face to face

Price — Face to face

From £1,100

+ VAT

Price — Online

From £899

+ VAT

where understanding becomes useful —

Why this course matters

Disagreement can become a useful conversation when people have a clear way to address it.

What you’ll explore in the Lab

Unresolved conflict can drain energy, weaken trust and disrupt productivity, particularly when difficult conversations are avoided or disagreements escalate under pressure. This half-day course helps professionals at every level understand why conflict happens, recognise their own conflict style and prepare to address tension with clarity and composure.

Delegates learn how to open a difficult conversation, stay calm when challenged and find common ground without losing sight of the issue that needs resolving. Whether working through team friction or managing individual disagreements, they develop practical approaches to protect working relationships, agree clear actions and move the conversation towards a constructive outcome.

a real challenge. a purposeful response.

The challenges this addresses

  • Workplace tension avoided until it escalates into conflict
  • Different views becoming personal rather than practical discussions
  • Difficult conversations opened without a clear purpose or preparation
  • Disagreements ending without workable actions both parties understand

What this can change at work

Addressing tension takes more than finding the courage to speak. Understanding conflict styles and practising calm, purposeful openings helps people tackle difficult issues without losing sight of the working relationship. Teams can move disagreement towards specific actions rather than personal friction, helping the business address problems earlier and keep everyday collaboration focused on what needs to happen next.

Prepared conversation openings

Colleagues begin difficult discussions by explaining the issue and purpose, rather than opening with blame or a list of frustrations.

Calmer responses under pressure

People notice their own conflict reactions and pause before responding, keeping the discussion focused on the issue being addressed.

Agreed next steps

Disagreements close with practical actions that both colleagues can explain, rather than a vague agreement to work better together.

Inside the workshop

Working in a small group of 6–8 delegates, the session moves from understanding conflict styles and escalation to preparing, opening and holding a difficult conversation. Breakouts, peer-to-peer learning and live practice give delegates opportunities to rehearse staying calm, finding common ground and agreeing next steps. They leave with a practical approach to preparation and constructive resolution they can apply at work.

Make Difficult Conversations & Conflict Resolution relevant to your business

Tell us where you want to make progress with why conflict happens and how it escalates. We can discuss suitable workplace examples, priorities and access needs before agreeing the scope. Choose live online or face-to-face training for your UK or European team, with delivery arrangements agreed before booking.

Discuss this course

What the training covers

The scope below sets out the subjects covered. Workplace examples and practice are shaped around your team within the booked format.

  • Why conflict happens and how it escalates
  • Your conflict style
  • Preparing for a difficult conversation
  • Staying calm under pressure
  • Finding common ground
  • Agreeing a way forward

What’s included in your booking

Your booked time and format
Half day · Live online or face to face, agreed before booking · 6–8 delegates.
Included in every course
  • Interactive, facilitator-led learningLive, hands-on sessions built around practice and participation.
  • Group discussionsShared conversations about real situations, so people learn from each other as well as the facilitator.
  • Breakout exercisesSmall-group practice, role-play and problem-solving, online or in the room.
  • Take-away materialsCourse materials, tools and templates to use back at work.
Facilitated learning and practical application
The subject coverage, exercises and facilitator feedback described above, with space to connect the learning to relevant workplace situations. The workshop description sets out the specific plans, prompts or tools developed in this course.

Follow-up coaching, refresher sessions and additional delivery days are not automatic inclusions; any additions are agreed in your proposal. Travel, venue arrangements and any software licences are confirmed separately where relevant. Prices exclude VAT.

Outcomes

The capabilities delegates work towards through the training and practice:

  • Recognise your own conflict style
  • Prepare for and open a difficult conversation
  • Stay calm and constructive under pressure
  • Resolve disagreements with agreed actions

the next conversation is where it counts —

Take it back to work.

Choose a real situation where you want to apply the learning. Use it to turn an outcome into a manageable first step, then reflect on what changes.

Choose

Start with one priority: Recognise your own conflict style.

Apply

Try the approach in a relevant task or conversation. Note what felt useful and what you would adapt.

Review

Reflect on what happened, seek feedback where appropriate and choose your next step. Follow-up support can be discussed separately.

Bring this topic to your next event

We can discuss adapting Difficult Conversations & Conflict Resolution into a keynote or large-group session, focusing on the themes most relevant to your audience. Depth, activities, timings and any follow-up depend on the format and package you choose; an event session is not a substitute for the full course.

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Your business. Our training. Together, we thrive.

Bring the challenge your people want to work on. We'll shape a practical training workshop or coaching experience around it — with room to explore, practise and take a useful next step.

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