Custom Design Your Relationships

New Foundations
Like it or not, we’re in the middle of a world where the rules change and transform every day. Information growth continues to be explosive. Traditional structures once thought unchangeable are disintegrating. And the pace of change in our economy and culture is accelerating. Predicting what will happen next has become exponentially more difficult. In the midst of all this change, our world, and the people living in it, are calling for new foundations to support organizations, relationships and life. Those best able to adapt will succeed.

It is time to create situation specific rules and to Custom Design our relationships to fit the particular people and circumstances, rather than trying to squeeze into "the way it's always been done."

If the traditional roles and rules are no longer as applicable, and we all have different ideas of what is best, how do we move ahead?

We need to learn how to do what we call the Interchangeable Dance of Leader and Follower. If a man asks a woman to dance, traditional rules say that man leads, woman follows. So that when the two get up to dance, even though they may have never met, they can basically figure it out. Now imagine that those rules were thrown out. The man and the woman get up to dance, but what happens next? They both need to stop a second and ask themselves the questions, "What dances do I know? What type of dance do I want to do? When should I take the lead and when should I follow?" Then they need to exchange that information, and ask clarifying questions. Through this process they better know themselves and the other so that when the music starts they know where they’re going.

The music represents the culture of the organization or the society. Put on any type of music (even change it), and as long as I know me and you know you, and then we exchange that information, we'll be able to effortlessly dance together. And it doesn't matter what company we work for, who we’re in relationship with, what culture we’re in, or language we speak; when we better know ourselves and others we are more compassionate and resilient, and our relationships are engaging and creative.

Sounds simple, but how? Through the Blueprint of WE Collaboration Process we can quickly and clearly elicit and define who we are and how we best accomplish our desired goals. The process involves creating and sharing a vision, finding your own internal voice around creating more good days than bad, and building a container or structure for stronger, healthier, more adaptable relationships. The Blueprint of WE enables us to effortlessly dance together without stepping on each other's toes.

The 5 Components of the Blueprint of WE Enable Us
to Do the Interchangeable Dance of Leader and Follower

		1. The Story of Us Share your vision and what draws you to these people and this situation.
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		2. Interaction Styles and Warning Signs How I work best, what I look like on a good day/bad day, and what I might need that I couldn’t ask for in a moment of stress.
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		3. Expectations Core values and non-negotiables, the structure you need to create and sustain this relationship.
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		4. Questions to Return to Peace A tool to return to peace if the need arises, makes the difficult times shorter and easier.
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		5. Short and Long-Term Agreements A commitment to addressing the little things moment to moment with the goal of peace. An agreement of no outright harm, a willingness to keep an open window if the unimaginable happens.

The Clarifying Conversation
After each person has written down and shared the 5 Components, a powerful Clarifying Conversation takes place. Through this process the structure is collaboratively designed and recorded to give foundation and clarity moving forward.

Now it's time for the most exciting part of creating a Blueprint of WE, the Clarifying Conversation. Everyone has the Document in front of them, whether on a computer or in printed form. Together you walk through each section of the Document. As you move section by section through the Document, take this opportunity to be present with yourself and the others. Don't race through it. If these are people you want to be in relationship with, it's important to listen with an open mind and heart.

Remember, sharing your Blueprint of Me with others is never a demand of what you want, or how you want to be treated. It is an opportunity to share who you are and how you show up in the world. It is an open dialogue that creates the space for trust and respect, which ultimately can never be demanded.

Hearing why others are drawn to you and the situation, from the person who wrote it, gives the story a whole new dimension. People hear things they never imagined, even from people who have known one another for great lengths of time.

As you proceed through the Document, take the time to ask clarifying questions. If this was the Owner's Manual for the person you're in this relationship with, is the information clear enough, or flushed out enough? If you had a rough time down the road, does this give you enough knowledge to get you out of a bad spot? To know what to do for the other person that they couldn't ask for in the moment?

Build Trust and Awareness
The Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document is a tool and a process that builds trust and awareness in business and personal relationships. It is being used in 100+ countries by individuals and organizations around the world. It is simple and scaleable to meet any relationship situation. Whether it is used by 2 or 20,000 people, it creates a living breathing blueprint which sees the creators through good times and bad alike. Beyond the status quo, the Document evolves with you as you learn more about who you are and the people with whom you are in relationship. Each time you learn something new, you add or change your Document to reflect the new learning.

What do you want to learn, do, or achieve? How do you want to live and interact? And why are these specific ways important to you? When I know me, you know you, and we exchange that information, change any rule or circumstance, and we will engage in business and life effortlessly, with speed and trust.

If leading a more collaborative life or organization sounds interesting to you, carve time out of your schedule to create a Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document. It could save you hours, weeks, even years of stress and frustration that are simply not necessary. Hire us to help.