Ch.42 COMM1: Because reactivity is inevitable: Blueprint of WE

This begins characterizing four years of Communications curriculum at Insight Experiential Colleges starting 2035

6 min readDec 6, 2022

BofWE was introduced to Women In Congress in 2023. Over the next ten years, it spread to many NGOs and governmental offices in other nations. In looking at the latest research, New Colleges War Room found groups and orgs — of all kinds — who adopted BofWe practices out-competed groups — of all kinds — who did NOT adopt BofWe.

In the Fall of 2024, BofWE was picked up and used by the office staffs of Huff Post, Politico and BuzzFeed. This began BofWE’s international spread. With as many other women as would listen women worldwide shared this cooperative-collaborative workplace masterpiece. Many listened. Business budgets began adding lines for training and consultation from BofWe trainers.

In this way by the 2030s, BofWE became a workplace norm in many orgs. For hiring, progressive orgs advertised their use of BofWE. It came to be expected. Anyone wishing to attract and keep talented, capable Cultural Creatives engaged in their orgs, learned BofWE was a simple, cheap way to attract and keep them.

In Freshman Comm1, learners were shown what BofWE replaced.

SIDEBAR ~ War Is a Force Which Gives Us Meaning (2002)

Old males loved “issue-driven politics,” varied mono-manias fighting against tangible, external injustices. Let’s march against the Vietnam war, against nuclear power, against this enemy, that enemy. As Chris Hedges’ War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning (ISBN 1586480499) is a 2002 non-fiction book, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction; and, a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year, as well as a national bestseller. …

BofWE replaced this by giving meaning to self-connection, cooperation and collaboration.

As women replaced men in virtually all elected positions, the old bias towards war and conflict — to give male lives meaning — was weakened. It was still meaningful to march FOR women’s rights, march FOR gun control and march against economic inequality. However, women were more likely to march FOR something than against something. Where men preferred to fight against external negatives, women were more likely to connect, cooperate, and collaborate around values they were like-minded and passionate about. Yes, there was still shouting at times; yet, different from men’s Boys Club shouting.

In Congress, Progressives used the BofWE routine to recruit co-signers to bills. BofWe makes explicit what everyone wants, to be respected; and, how they wish to be treated in a partnership when conflict does arise. Who doesn’t want this? Last-gasp Regressive “dinosaurs” who did not adopt BofWE, did not stand a chance. Wavering Centrists who did not adopt BofWE, became an endangered species, faded from view as a viable public position. BofWe facilitated the death of “issue-driven politics,” and the rise of “values-driven politics.”

The routine of composing and sharing short written agreements about working together became common, expected among Progressives. The BofWe process prevented many almost-break-ups in progressive groups, families and couples.

In this way, politics shifted away from protests against external things and elected figures; and, towards voicing the truly human values which give policies, programs and laws their foundation.

Orienting Freshmen to basic Best Practice Methods, was a top goal of Freshman curriculum. It was a no-brainer to teach BofWE early as part of COMM1 Freshman year.

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From the COMM1 classroom facilitator textbook:

Women understand intuitively, “Our inter-connected world demands Collaborative Awareness.” Yet, what can we do; what METHOD should we use, to actualize and make habits of healthy norms of interpersonal decency and win-win thinking? BofWE takes the mystery out of just these questions.

Because reactivity is inevitable: Blueprint of WE

Psychologist William Glasser reminds us, “No one does well in a crisis.” To reduce the intensity of crises, it works to address conflict and stress as early as possible. If each team member self-evaluates, shares the signs they are going into conflict, shares how they prefer to be treated when stressed, Safety Brain in our partners and groups can calm down. When our internal parts feel safe, easier to hear the healthy voice of Self-leadership.

BofWe is a group process tool for more harmony and effectiveness in groups; especially, partnerships and small groups, as in offices of all kinds. It also facilitates win-win thinkers to identify and find each other.

BofWE starts with this assumption, interpersonal conflict is not an “IF” but a “WHEN.” Since interpersonal conflict is inevitable, why not have a workable plan for when it arises? For workplace teams, BofWE is a simple, easy cooperative-collaborative exercise promoting peace, listening and cooperation.

The basics were taught in Comm1. In Junior COMM classrooms, BofWE was taught again in light of MBTI -

https://www.16personalities.com

. “Cultural Creative values align with iNtuitive Feeler (NF, Idealist) values. iNtuitive Thinkers (NTs), whose values align with NF values, comprise the second largest group of Cultural Creatives.”

The best available consensus

The audience for BofWe is partners in working relationships, not excluding marriage and child-raising parents. The goal? More conscious and deliberate consensus among stakeholders. As well, more conscious and deliberate awareness of how interpersonal conflict is likely to arise and between who. As well, more conscious and deliberate awareness perceiving what stress looks like on your colleagues; and how, each wishes to be approached — or left alone — when you perceive them stressing.

“Calming the Safety Brain”

The greatest fear most people have is interpersonal conflict. Anticipating the inevitability of conflict, Blueprint of WE, prepares all parties involved, with what to do, when stress appears. By staying present, in safety and connection, conflict can be processed and resolved more easily. Create and sustain your team’s culture of collaboration.

BofWE reduced boredom in meetings

BofWE facilitated more conscious and deliberate awareness of healthy~unhealthy group process. It also reduced boredom in meetings. How? In unhealthy meetings, much time is wasted avoiding, walking around, “elephants in the room” no one wants to address; or, knows how to address. “Lack of social permission” blocks open discussion and emotional transparency.

If too many of these forbidden “elephants” are present in a meeting, the result is boredom. Why? Talking about what needs to be talked about — is prohibited.

With BofWe the Chief of Staff; or, the most skilled meeting facilitator, can look at descriptions of what stresses their meeting colleagues. The written descriptions function like a “map” of your staff’s strengths and weaknesses. When you see someone stressed, a skilled leader can ask if the individual wishes support, to voice something unpopular (the elephants in the room). In this way meetings can become more transparent — and — less — boring.

SIDEBAR ~ How BofWE evolved marriage

Historians in 2080 agree BofWE had a major impact on the institution of marriage.

Taking a cue from Blueprint of WE; and, given longer lifespans, marriage is no longer performed when a couple wants to live together. Rather an official marriage ceremony occurs only when a couple has or adopts its first child. The child is present at this ceremony. If the child in under one year, a Baby Blessing is often performed at this same time.

The results? Children and teens see “marriage” framed more as a contract about raising children than for the happiness expectations of two adults. Practical? In 2022 “Til death do us part” promises are only fulfilled 40% of the time. In the US starting in 2050, marriage contracts have an explicit expiration date. This is usually when the last child goes off to college. When all children have left the home, parents have the official, legal opportunity to re-think their goals, for the next period of their lives; and, whether this includes their current partner or not.

If the couple decides to split and each go their own way, the house, if any, and all assets are divided fairly, according to formulas on forms downloadable at all libraries. If no mediation is required, you simply get the annulment notarized and make a copy for all relations who may have questions about the dissolution of the marriage.

From 2120 the solutions to such problems are more clear.

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To Learn More:

BofWE was started by women, beginning in the early 2000s. http://www.aCocreativePath.com/blueprint-of-we

https://www.blueprintofwe.com/blueprint-of-we

https://www.collaborativeawareness.com/

conversations@CollaborativeAwareness.com

www.CollaborativeAwareness.com

www.blueprintofwe.com

www.getstarted.blue

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