Build strong connections, fulfilling and productive relationships with peers and within teams. In this course, you will learn about team dynamics and stages of team development, how to build trust and psychological safety within team, common sources of conflict and how to resolve it constructively. Interpersonal skills gained in the course will help develop strong relationships among peers and team members. Join us to enhance your teamwork and your relationships with your colleagues.
This course is available for StrongerBC future skills grant between September 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026. The course must have a start date between Sept 1 - Feb 28 to be eligible for funding. Please contact CPS@kpu.ca on how to apply.
What You Will Learn
- Assess team dynamics and stages of team development.
- Identify strategies to build and maintain trust and psychological safety within a team.
- Cultivate strong interpersonal relationships among peers and team members.
- Analyze common sources of conflict within teams and develop strategies to resolve them constructively.
How You Will Learn:
You will join live, online, instructor-led sessions that blend theory with real-world application:
- Expert-Led Workshops: Learn directly from a seasoned practitioner.
- Hands-On Case Studies: Apply frameworks in small-group exercises.
- Personalized Feedback: Receive tailored coaching to refine your work.
- Live Q&A & Networking: Dive deeper with peers and the instructor.
- Ongoing Resources: Access slide decks, templates and an online forum to reinforce your learning.
Who This Course is for
This course is ideal for individuals across sectors who collaborate in teams or seek to strengthen peer and team relationships, including:
- People managers and team leads looking to improve team culture, communication, and collaboration
- Professionals in cross-functional or project-based roles where relationship-building is essential to success
- Early-career employees seeking to build foundational interpersonal and teamwork skills
- HR, DEI, and organizational development professionals focused on fostering psychological safety and engagement
- Educators, non-profit workers, and community leaders working in collaborative, people-oriented environments
Whether you're leading a team or working within one, this course is for anyone looking to build deeper trust and stronger working relationships.
Why take this course:
High-performing teams are built on trust and connection, not just technical skill or task alignment
Psychological safety has been shown to drive innovation, retention, and performance, especially in diverse or remote teams
Strong interpersonal skills are essential in hybrid and virtual environments, where informal team bonding is less frequent
Conflict in teams is normal—but how it's managed determines success or failure
BC employers are prioritizing soft skills like communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence in hiring and development practices
Strong relationships among team members boost morale, reduce turnover, and increase organizational resilience
Instructor Bio
Maria Kilina, MBA, ACC
Maria is an executive coach, facilitator, and instructor with over 15 years of corporate experience in strategy, business and corporate development, leadership. As an ICF-certified coach and business educator, she blends academic insight with practical expertise to help individuals and organizations thrive. maria holds an MBA and a Certificate in Organizational Coaching from University of British Columbia, as well as EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 certifications - coaching based on the EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence model assessments.
Her passion is to combine business acumen, coaching, and emotional intelligence skills in developing mindful, inspiring leaders who generate growth in their teams and lead with emotional intelligence.