REORIENTING RELATIONSHIPS
OUR APPROACH
The SecondMuse Foundation is advocating for an approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of our world including plants, water, animals, etc. We do not prioritize one person, organization, environment or culture over another, instead, we focus on the connections and relationships between them. By breaking down traditional boundaries of value and putting relationships at the center, we encourage ourselves and others to think differently and explore new ways of addressing the world's most pressing and complex challenges.
WHAT IS Relational wealth?
RELATIONAL WEALTH RECOGNIZES OUR INTERDEPENDENCIES AND WORKS TO PLACE ALL RELATIONSHIPS IN ‘RIGHT’ RELATIONSHIP.
The concept of relational wealth acknowledges that everything in our world is interconnected and interdependent. It prioritizes the importance of all relationships and works to align them in a way that benefits all parties involved. By recognizing that our actions have an impact on one another and the planet, we can strive to create a more equitable and just society where all relationships are in "right" relationship.
The Foundation understands the concept of "right" relationship through the relational Imperative, which states that balance and justice are achieved when both the individual and the collective thrive with each other and with the environment (i.e. the mineral world, plant world, animal world, humanity.). To be in "right" or “balanced” relationship, it must be mutually beneficial for all parties involved, whether it's you and your local ecosystem, you and the planet, you and your team, or you and your organization.
Moreover, the Relational Imperative recognizes that in any relationship, we are always on both sides of the equation. We are not just individuals, but also part of the larger community, the planet, our team, and our organization. The interdependence and interconnectedness of it all cannot be denied.
Imagine a world where society prioritizes the wealth of relationships over traditional notions of wealth. By reorienting around relationships, the door is opened to new possibilities and can create real and lasting change. Together, we can create a more interconnected and compassionate society, where the planet and all who live here have the chance to flourish.
These individual aspen trees are not separate, rather connected at the roots and parts of one of the largest and oldest living organisms in the world, the Pando forest.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Cultivating relational wealth is not just about having good intentions, it also requires a specific set of skills and abilities — "relational capacity." This includes everything from developing a strong sense of self, to being able to engage in meaningful dialogue, to creating a shared narrative. These skills are essential for aligning relationships in a way that benefits all parties involved and creating a more equitable and just society. With the right relational capacity, we can open the door to different possibilities and create real and lasting change.
HOW DOES SECONDMUSE FOUNDATION USE IT?
The SecondMuse Foundation is dedicated to documenting, sharing and advancing our understanding of how to build relational wealth. We aim to achieve this goal by partnering with organizations, conducting and publishing research, convening and addressing real-world challenges. We also aim to build a community of individuals and organizations who can learn and grow together to make relational wealth building as an accepted approach for systems change.
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
At the SecondMuse Foundation, we believe that building relational wealth is an inherent part of who we - as a society and planet - are at our best. As such, this concept has always been with us, and we have many teachers. We draw inspiration from diverse sources, including traditional and Indigenous communities around the world, as well as an array of academic disciplines ranging from psychology, to biology and beyond.
Our understanding continues to grow through ongoing research and as we meet the lived experiences of traditional societies and communities around the world. Our goal at the Foundation is to make relational wealth more widely understood and accepted as an approach to address complex and systemic challenges.
WHY NOW?
The world’s complex problems aren’t easily solvable . We need new, more effective approaches for society and the planet to thrive. And we need them quickly. Humans’ daily interactions, both visible and invisible, shape ourselves, our cultures and our world, either building relational wealth or — as is so often the case in current business practice — causing a deficit.
Systems don't change just because we identify them; they change because we disrupt them.
— Cornelius Minor
In any healthy society, there has to be a balance between the desire for individual freedom and the need for social cohesion.
— Jonathan Sacks
We are all one. One planet, one human family, one destiny.
— Wangari Maathai
FURTHER READING
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What Lies Between Us: My Journey in Pursuit of a “Good Society”
My struggle with early parenthood led me on a journey that redefined my understanding of a good society, from the family unit on up to our economy, political system and beyond.
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How to build an inclusive economy
This free course for emerging changemakers, such as entrepreneurs and innovators, walks through our Theory of Change — our approach to designing just economic systems that benefit all people and the environment.
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APPLYING RELATIONAL WEALTH INTO RESEARCH
Digital Delta is a tool developed by one of SecondMuse’s programs, Headstream, which helps to identify the root factors and its relations that have the largest impact on youth wellbeing to improve digital experiences for young people.