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Are you looking for an experienced, knowledgeable, entertaining and inspiring speaker for your conference, staff meeting, kick-off or leadership training?
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Joy at Work – Leadership – Collaboration – Team Spirit – Work Environment – Strengths-Based Development – Communication – Conflict Management – Feedback – Difficult Conversations – Motivation – Change – Solution Focus
One of Sweden’s most popular speakers
“Incredibly energizing & positive keynote! I was completely blown away!“
“What a fantastic talk! I was riding a high for the rest of the week thanks to your ideas.“
“One of the best speakers we’ve ever hired!“
15 years as a professional speaker │ 900+ keynotes and workshops │ 3 bestselling books
Inspiring keynotes and training for leaders and teams alike
Gunnel Ryner delivers around 60–70 keynotes a year, at everything from conferences and kick-offs to leadership meetings and staff development days, with groups of all sizes. If you’d like to go deeper, most of her keynotes are also available as half-day or full-day training sessions — or you can combine a keynote with a workshop.
As a keynote speaker, Gunnel focuses primarily on strengths-based approaches, joy at work, leadership, solution focus, communication, collaboration, change and difficult conversations. She always tailors her sessions to your specific needs.
Gunnel wants her keynotes to be inspiring, energising and fun — while also giving participants something they can put to use straight away in their day-to-day work. That’s why every keynote has a clear message and solid knowledge base, grounded in research, yet delivered in a lively, fast-paced way with plenty of energy, humour and passion.
The same applies when you choose a full training day. Gunnel is convinced that we learn best when we’re also having fun. All of her training sessions deliver not just inspiration, new insights, knowledge and skills — participants also get to laugh and enjoy themselves. Even when the topic is difficult conversations. To ensure lasting results, she places a strong emphasis on practical exercises, shared experience and reflection. Gunnel is equally happy to deliver her keynotes and training in English or Swedish.
Keynotes
The Art of Finding What’s Right Instead of What’s Wrong
Do you want to create a workplace filled with pride, engagement and genuine joy? Our brains are wired to spot problems — but focusing only on what’s wrong will never take you to exceptional results. In this energizing keynote, Gunnel Ryner shares strengths-based tools inspired by Appreciative Inquiry, Solution Focus and Positive Psychology. You’ll learn how to build on what already works, amplify strengths, and create the conditions for real, lasting joy at work. Expect insights, laughter and concrete takeaways you can use immediately.
Strengths-Based Leadership
Want to bring out the very best in your team? A strengths-based leader focuses on what works, highlights successes, and builds on existing strengths rather than dwelling on weaknesses. In this inspiring keynote for leaders and managers, Gunnel Ryner draws on research in psychology and organizational science and methods such as Appreciative Inquiry, Solution Focus and Positive Deviance. You’ll gain practical tools to foster engagement, pride and creativity in your team — and take your leadership and your organization to an entirely new level.
Communication and Conflict Management
Why do we so easily misunderstand each other — and what can we do about it? In this keynote, Gunnel Ryner explores the human processes that cause friction, misunderstandings and conflict in the workplace, and offers a concrete model for turning them around. You’ll learn how to communicate in a way that others want to hear, how to check assumptions, give feedback constructively, and handle difficult situations while preserving good relationships. Packed with recognition and practical tools — available as a keynote or a half- or full-day training.
Maximize Your Strengths
Everyone has strengths — but most of us take them for granted and focus our energy on fixing weaknesses instead. Research shows it’s far more effective to build on what you’re already good at. In this interactive keynote, Gunnel Ryner takes participants on a journey of discovery to identify, leverage and develop their own and others’ unique strengths. Through inspiring exercises, you’ll learn to spot strengths in yourself and your colleagues, use them more intentionally, and channel them to create both greater joy and outstanding results.
Strengths-Based Workshop
In a strengths-based workshop, the whole team is engaged in identifying strengths, success factors and positive examples — and using them as a foundation for further development. Based on the methods Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focus, the workshop focuses on what you already do well and how to do more of it. The result is pride, engagement, creative energy and concrete ideas for moving forward together. Can be run as a standalone session or combined with a keynote. Available in formats ranging from 90 minutes to a full day.
Reaching Your Goals – Even When Motivation Runs Low
What if motivation is overrated? In this thought-provoking keynote, Gunnel Ryner turns conventional thinking about motivation and goal-achievement upside down. Instead of relying on willpower and self-discipline, she argues that your environment — the people, places, conditions and ideas you surround yourself with — is a far more powerful force. Drawing on science, humor and vivid examples, Gunnel offers a practical, step-by-step method for creating an environment that naturally pulls you toward your goals, both in life and at work. Based on her book The Lazy Way to a Wonderful Life.
Standing Strong Through Change
Change can trigger anxiety, resistance and uncertainty — but it can also bring curiosity, energy and opportunity. In this keynote for employees, Gunnel Ryner offers insights and tools to help individuals navigate change with resilience and a constructive mindset. Grounded in psychology and strengths-based methods, participants learn how to manage their own reactions, support colleagues, focus on what they can influence, and contribute to a positive atmosphere even in challenging times. Interactive, warm and filled with practical takeaways — available as a keynote or combined with a workshop.
Strengths-Based Change Management
Traditional change management often focuses on problems to fix — but that approach rarely leads to extraordinary results. In this keynote for leaders and change managers, Gunnel Ryner presents a strengths-based alternative rooted in Appreciative Inquiry, Solution Focus and Positive Deviance. You’ll learn how to involve everyone affected by a change, build on existing strengths and successes, and create genuine engagement and creativity throughout the process. The result: a change process that people embrace rather than resist, and outcomes that exceed expectations.
Turning Difficult Conversations into Good Conversations
Most of us dread difficult conversations — and often delay them or handle them in ways that create more confusion than clarity. In this keynote tailored for managers and healthcare professionals, Gunnel Ryner provides tools and a concrete conversation model for navigating sensitive situations with care and confidence. Topics include giving tough feedback, delivering difficult messages, supporting people in crisis, and setting boundaries with empathy. Combines theory with practical exercises and role-play. Available as a keynote or a half- or full-day training.
Solution-Focused Approach
Solution Focus is a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps people identify their desired outcomes, recognize their own resources and find their own solutions. In this training, Gunnel Ryner — an experienced practitioner with over 15 years of experience — teaches the principles, tools and techniques of Solution Focus in depth. Suitable for social workers, coaches, managers, healthcare professionals, teachers and others who work to support people’s development. The training is customized to your organization’s needs and can range from an introductory session to an in-depth multi-part program.