In a world where the phrase “Let’s Cross That Bridge When We Get There” echoes through many conversations, I’ve come to appreciate the wisdom in tackling challenges head-on, especially in relationships. Recently hearing Mindset Enhancement Coach Jayson Wells emphasize the importance of a relationship being strong enough to bear the weight of the truth reinforced my decade-long commitment to the Critical Change Construct, a framework I created over 10 years ago.
The Critical Change Construct serves as a proactive guide in navigating relationships, ensuring a solid foundation before venturing too far down the road. Comprising five key stages—Conviction, Connection, Consensus, Collaboration, and Change—it reflects a decade of personal development and growth.
Starting with Conviction, I firmly believe that genuine connection can only happen when there’s a heartfelt commitment. This conviction, developed over the years, sets the stage for open communication, allowing exploration of feelings and beliefs. For me, eradicating racism has been a longstanding mission, and this phase serves as a litmus test for compatibility.
Moving to Connection, the headspace, and verbalizing a Consensus become possible once hearts are intertwined. Consensus involves making promises and guarantees, establishing a shared understanding that serves as a roadmap for the relationship. It’s a proactive commitment that avoids the pitfalls of a reactive approach.
Collaboration is the hands that bring the promises to life. Addressing potential challenges upfront, developed through a decade of refining the Construct, ensures that we save valuable time, energy, and resources that would otherwise be spent backtracking. This proactive stance ensures we’re building towards positive change from the start.
Contrastingly, a reactive approach, starting with Collaboration, can lead to unnecessary challenges. Working backward to address issues after they’ve arisen consumes valuable resources and may strain the relationship.
The Critical Change Construct encourages contemplating worst-case scenarios on the front end, fostering discussions around hypotheticals or personal experiences. This approach allows us to distinguish between feelings and facts, creating a space for honest dialogue. In my case, discussions about racism serve as a testament to the Construct’s enduring relevance and effectiveness.
In essence, let’s cross the bridge when we get there, but why not fortify that bridge on the front end? The Critical Change Construct, developed over a decade ago and reinforced by recent insights, offers a proactive roadmap, ensuring that relationships are built on a solid foundation of conviction, connection, consensus, collaboration, and, ultimately, positive change.
