A Vision for Partnership

Another area where couples can co-create their lives together is when they are articulating a vision for the quality of their lives and their relationship. A vision conveys what a couple wants to express in life as the fulfillment of their partnership. It is not just the achievement of life goals or objectives. A vision for one’s relationship represents what a couple stands for together in the world. A vision could be thought of as a co-created stand for one’s quality of living that touches others around them. This quality of living is an expression of the couple’s values and what they deem as important for their life together.

Vision is often associated with organizational change as it is well recognized that a powerful vision is crucial to inspiring and motivating people as well as providing a direction and a mindset for success (Miser, 2006). Similarly, couples expressing partnership in their lives co-envision the desired quality of life together and, then, standing in that vision, take action to bring what they imagine together into reality. When thinking about  married couples on a long journey over the course of their life span, it is easy to see the importance for them to be able to co-create a vision for their partnership on a renewable and periodic basis.

Martha Miser (2006), in her article “Vision: The Engine of Change“, articulates the six “Golden Rules” of vision that hold as true for a committed couple or a “partnership of two,” as they do for employees of a multinational corporation. These “Golden Rules” as applied to couples are:

• A vision is purposely and consciously co-created by the couple

• A vision is a flexible and dynamic process

• A vision is always about greatness

• A vision is both future focused and grounded in reality

• A vision does not tell the couple how to get there

• A successful vision is shared by the couple

Zander and Zander (2000) distinguish “vision” in their book on personal and professional transformation, The Art of Possibility, as articulating possibility, fulfilling a fundamental desire of humankind, making no reference to morality or ethics, and being a freestanding and timeless picture. A vision co-created by a committed couple is their stand for the kind of world they a committed to co-creating as an expression of their partnership. It might be expressed as a set of descriptive phrases that capture the essence of life itself. Below is an example of such a vision as expressed by one couple. They entitled the vision of their partnership, “Our World.”

Visionary, inspired leadership

Big sky, nature calling forth the human spirit

Powerful, natural beauty

Wonderment and mystery

Appreciating history

Respect and tolerance

Healing, wholeness, and forgiveness

Joy, music and dancing

Grace

Self-expression, magnificence and adventure

No one left out

Co-creating a vision for which the couple stands is a powerful way to have one’s partnership expressed in the world. Standing in that vision, the couple is able to powerfully co-create their future together.

References

Miser, M. (2006) Vision: The engine of change. Unpublished paper.

Zander, B., & Zander, R. S. (2000) The art of possibility: Transforming professional and personal life. Harvard Business School Press: Boston, Massachusetts.

Posted in Partnership Marriage on November 22nd, 2011 by Andy Miser | No Comments »
Tags: Andrew L. Miser, co-creation, couples coaching, partnership marriage, Vision