History of the Blueprint of WE
• formerly known as the State of Grace Document •

Note: If you're looking for the State of Grace Document, you've come to the right place.

The Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document, or Collaboration Process, was created in 1998 and was originally called the State of Grace Document. For years now the State of Grace Document has also been called by another name: The Blueprint of WE. Since it's early beginnings, the concept has spread around the world and it's been fascinating to see how deeply impactful it has been in every type of relationship situation imaginable.

The Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document was created by Maureen K. McCarthy and Zelle Nelson, as they first began their dating relationship in 1998. After seeing its impact, they went on to create Documents with family and friends. A short time later, through their international consulting firm, Engaging the Soul @ Work, they made the decision to solely use Blueprint of WE Collaboration Documents with their clients, rather than legal contracts. Their clients, including global corporations, governments and universities — organizations who often live and die by their contracts — have all been willing to create Blueprint of WE Documents as their business contract. And every client has gone on to create their own Documents because they see the powerful impact it has on their day-to-day business interactions and bottom line. Whether used in business or personal settings, the Blueprint of WE is quickly becoming the new business and personal relationship foundation of choice in 100+ countries around the world.

Why the Name Change?

Three main reasons impacted the decision to officially change the name from State of Grace Document to Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document.

1. Blueprint of WE describes the what and how of the process, making the concept more accessible.
2. "State of Grace" was originally chosen after seeing Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing. The word didn't happen to be chosen for it's religious or spiritual connotations. This was often confusing for people.
3. Grace is difficult to translate from English to other languages.

When Maureen K. McCarthy and Zelle Nelson created the first Document, they did so simply as a way to define and design their relationship, which did not fit into any pre-existing relationship models. They never imagined they were creating a collaboration process that would eventually spread around the world.

The term "state of grace" defines the ultimate goal of the relationship. The blueprint term describes how crucial it is for people to Custom Design their relationships rather than trying to fit into pre-determined relationship definitions that have existed in our culture for centuries.

A Vision for What You Are Creating - A "State of Grace"

Grace: A touch of truth that let's you see the world in a new way. A gift that can only be felt when you're open enough to accept it. - Joan of Arcadia Episode 14: "State of Grace"

Most people grasp the concept of a state of grace, but are unsure of its ultimate definition. Some see it as religiously oriented, others see it as another means of saying peace. When Maureen K. McCarthy and Zelle Nelson first created the Document, the image they used to define what kind of relationship they were creating was the ease and fluidity that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers reveal when they’re dancing. When you see them dance so gracefully, what comes to mind? Grace and elegance? If only every encounter with another could call up the words beauty, fluidity, and effortlessness. Generally we are in awe of grace in any form because it’s an ultimate desire, and yet it can be difficult to attain. When someone handles a difficult situation with grace, we see him or her hold others with the greatest amount of loving care. They show humanity, gratitude, respect and fair-mindedness; recognizing others’ views and seeing the true magnificence in the other through both wonderful and challenging times.

Music: Come Fly with Me, Michael Bublé

How You Create It ~
Design and Build the Blueprint of WE Collaboration Document

The blueprint concept was born out of working with many, many executives, as well as others over the years, who have felt chained or even strangled by society's definition of relationship at work and at home. We are living in a time of transition where the old is blatantly not working, but the new is yet to be fully designed. Maureen K. McCarthy and Zelle Nelson say they only feel alive when they are pioneering their lives and work, living at the leading edge. Through this passion they have led many people to understand that they too need to Custom Design their lives in order to create the space to be authentic.  

Using the word blueprint speaks to the need for people to have the conversations that define what they're agreeing to enter into. If we don't have the conversation about what this is going to look like, we won't ever know if what I believe this relationship to be is the same as what you believe it to be. And that's where the breakdowns occur. When one person doesn't meet the expectations of another, that's when our Safety Brains go on alert and the stressful neural pathways run on automatic pilot. In the midst of fear relationships fall apart. 

Exchanging the Blueprint of ME. Building the Blueprint of WE.

There are two reasons that the words Me and We were chosen, even though technically it is grammatically correct to say Me and Us. If you look at the words ME and WE, you'll notice they create a mirror image with one another. Take a moment to look at the graphic. 

This mirror image is equivalent to the graceful, effortless dance that happens when people create Blueprint of WE Collaboration Documents. It also symbolizes the fact that, in reality, there is really only one of us. We are all inter-connected, and all in the dance together.

There is a very different feel and connotation to the word WE. We is the active form of a group of people, as you see in the sentence "We will make it happen." Us, on the other hand, is passive, as you see in the sentence "This happened to us." The more active word holds the infinite possibilities that exist when people connect in an authentic space. WE is written in all caps so that it stands out as a concept, rather than just the word. Example: "The Blueprint of ME." and "The Blueprint of WE."

Creating Collaborative Awareness

As the old systems are breaking down at impossible speeds, and the old rules are going by the wayside, we need to build Collaborative Awareness. It's time to quiet the Safety Brain, and consciously custom build, that which can move and change with us as fast as business and life are moving and changing. By sharing our Blueprints, we make it clear that the old rules of "this is the way we do business" or “this is how life has always been” are irrelevant. If we don't build our relationships to each persons' and the groups' specifications, or tend to the relationship to ensure we're in a state of peace, then we shouldn't be surprised when things get stressful or people get triggered. As we create Blueprint of WE Collaboration Documents, and Collaborative Awareness, we build healthy and resilient patterns into our lives leading to a more creative, adaptive and effortless day-to-day existence.

It is time for the Blueprint of WE Collaboration Process to become the new foundation for all your business and personal relationships.