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Beyond self awareness

our world now demands 

Collaborative Awareness

The Blueprint of We

Collaboration Document & Process

The Blueprint of We is a collaboration document and on-going process used to mindfully custom design business and personal relationships. 

  • Wires your brain for clarity and connection 

  • Used worldwide in many languages and cultures 

  • Can serve as a traditional legal contract with both people and process in mind

 

What Is It?

The Blueprint of We, created by The Center for Collaborative Awareness, enables groups of any size custom design healthier, more resilient business and personal relationships.

In an increasingly complex world, where the old ground rules are no longer reliable, it gives you the power to mindfully create your life and work, rather than squeezing into pre-established relationship models. 

 

You personally write the document along with those involved, whether 2 people or 20,000+. It captures what draws each individual to the situation; enables you to let others know how you work best; helps you mindfully design the framework of the collaboration; and provides a path back to peace when the need arises.

 

As an on-going collaborative process, it wires your brain for more connection and compassion and enables groups of all sizes to continually find clarity. It is often being used to replace or enhance traditional legal contracts.

 

5 Components of a Collaboration Document
 

  1. The Story of Us
    Share what draws you to these people and this situation.

     

  2. Interaction Styles & Warning Signs
    How you work best, what you look like on a good day and a bad day, and what you might need that you couldn’t ask for in the moment.

     

  3. Custom Design 
    Determine what matters most. Use it to mindfully design the framework of what, when, why and how you collaboratively come together and get things done.

     

  4. Questions for Peace & Possibility
    A tool to build on what’s working and to return to peace if the need arises, makes the difficult times shorter and easier.

     

  5. Short & Long-Term Timeframes
    How long you’re willing to go before coming back to center. How often you will return to continually build your document.

 


Who’s Using It and When

The Blueprint of We is currently being used in 100+ countries in communities, corporations, small businesses, non-profits, families, schools—between business partners, boards of directors, teams, couples, friends, siblings, etc.  Because it is a framework upon which to share the “blueprint of me” with others, it can be used within any relationship situation that exists, and with as many people as are involved. It creates effortless communication and easy day-to-day interactions that reduce stress and enhance overall emotional and physical health. People around the globe say it is an idea whose time has come. Visit the website to begin to create your own.
 

STEP 1:

Each person in the collaboration writes
their portion of these
5 Components:

STEP 2:

Gather together for a Clarifying Conversation to ask questions and learn more.

STEP 3:

Use your Blueprint on a regular basis to build clarity and continaully mindfully design the relationship.

Schedule 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month dates NOW to update and evolve your Blueprint of We as a group.

3 Simple Steps
to Create & Use
Your Blueprint of We

1. The Story of Us

2. Interaction Styles
& Warning Signs

3. Custom Design

4. Questions for
Peace & Possiblity

5. Short & Long-term Timeframes

Circular Overview of the Blueprint of We

This circular mind map version of the Blueprint of We is a
great
visual introduction to the structure of the collaboration process. 

Simple, Elegant Structure
a deeper look at the 5 components


1. The Story of Us
It’s important to build a foundation of trust from the beginning to keep the relationship in flow. Establishing the connected perspective allows us to return to and grow the connection through complex changes and stressful situations. 

Each person writes their version of The Story of Us, which is the story of the other’s characteristics they most admire or appreciate and the reasons they’re attracted to the situation. It could also be in the form of a bullet-pointed list. This serves as a reminder that when things get tough, these brilliant characteristics still reside. It’s a mind map back when we need it most.

 

2. Interaction Styles & Warning Signs

 Each person creates a bullet-pointed list of his or her Interaction Styles and Warning Signs. The Interaction Styles are an account of how you generally like to work and live. Do you need to think out loud with a group, work alone at times, need an agenda? Do you tend to prefer quiet time, are you high energy, direct when you communicate, do you lean towards the optimistic? Interaction Styles deal with how each person likes things done, what’s non-negotiable, what their preferences are, etc.

Warning Signs is a list of the external clues you may show as signs of stress. The behaviors you exhibit right before things spin out of control. Are you less patient, do you immerse yourself deeper in your work, become a perfectionist, tap your pen on the table?


And most importantly, when you show these signs, how might someone help you pull out of the spiral? Tell them now, because in the moment, it might feel impossible to say what you really need. Come talk to me; give me space, then talk to me; help me see the data so I can step back from the emotional; offer me a back rub; reassure me, etc.


Warning Signs are the behaviors each person tends to display when things begin to go awry. Knowing these up front, and having someone tell you how to best assist, can alleviate a great deal of miscommunication and assumption that lead to a downward spiral.


3. Custom Design 

Custom Design focuses on both the elements that contracts traditionally cover and the shared values that inform what's to be done, agreed upon, or intentioned. Each person determines what matters most and what they specifically want to build as part of this particular relationship. They then collaboratively design the structure that best serves each person, the entire we, and the activities at hand.


4. Questions for Peace & Possibility 

The parties co-create a list of questions they commit to answer with one another that will accelerate new possibilities or get them back to a good place if the need arises.

Questions such as: 

  • How can we turn up the volume on what’s already working?

  • What truths do I need to tell? 

  • What do I need from you right now? 

  • Does money play a part in this situation? 

  • How can we move from judgment to curiosity in order to get more clarity? 

  • Is it time to redefine or redirect our work together?

 

5. Short & Long-term Timeframes 

The first Short-term Timeframe is for Clarity Conversations.
If you went on a 5-mile hike and got a stick in your shoe in mile one, you would stop and remove the stick. The same applies for stress in collaborative relationships. If you have that knot in your stomach or something feels off, how long are you willing to go before inviting the other party to a conversation? It’s important to realize stress in the system is not a problem, but an important message that says we need more clarity. We suggest timeframes such as 4 hours, 24 hours or 3 days. It depends on your style of relating to one another and how much time you need to calm your mind down enough to have an open-minded, compassionate conversation.

Within the agreed upon timeframe, each person re-reads the Blueprint to reorient themselves with the other person and reconnect to the positive neural pathways built over time. Then you use your Questions for Peace & Possibility to find clarity and get back to a good place.

 

The second Short-term Timeframe is for Document Building.
Your Blueprint will change and grow in concert with your relationship. Establishing a habit of consistently reviewing and adding to your document is powerful. We suggest weekly, monthly and/or annually.

 

The parties also agree on a Long-term Timeframe of a year or more to get back together to find peace if something unimaginable happens and you can’t seem

to go over their Questions before then. You agree to no outright harm to the other person. You will not speak negatively to others or create more pain for them. You also make a personal commitment to finding peace within yourself. Many of us carry the pain of a bad ending for a lifetime and never resolve it. 

 

This commitment allows us the opening through the healing nature of time. 
 

The Blueprint of We is a written trust between two or more entities who see the power in moving through the fears and joys of a relationship with ease. It’s typically written in the initial stage of the relationship, but if the relationship is not new, it can be written if the people involved are currently in a good place with each other.

Get Started on Your Blueprint of We!

 

The Laying the Foundation Tool is a fast way to get started and continue updating and using your Blueprint of We. 

Take your Blueprint of We to greater depth. Get expert assistance creating your Blueprint of Me from a Certified Facilitator. Choose from 1, 3, or 6
90-minute sessions.

 

Laying the Foundation includes a Single Use License with these materials:
 

  1. Introduction and Overview

  2. Collaboration Document Templates

    • Printable PDF template

    • Digital templates

  3. Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating & Using Your Blueprint of We

  4. Clarifying Conversation Instructions

  5. The Neuroscience of Collaboration

mindful design

Get Started! Templates

Laying the Foundation Tools
for all types of collaboration:

 

Universal - for any type of relationship
 

Business

  1. Teams & Colleagues

  2. Collaborative Interview

  3. 1-page Organization Introduction

Personal

  1. Couples

  2. Couples in Transition

  3. Families with Children

  4. Family [All Adults]

  5. Community

  6. Housemates

Expert Assistance - Work Virtually with a Certified Collaboration Coach


In addition to the Laying the Foundation tool that helps you create your 1.0 Blueprint of Me, receive expert assistance through 1, 3 or 6 90-minute one-on-one sessions with a Blueprint of We Certified Facilitator. 

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