Members of the founding organizations for the International Network for Relational Development from the US, Portugal, Spain and UK met in Lisbon, Portugal in July 2025 to develop an initial agreement for how to work together. We concluded by signing the Lisbon Declaration.
MISSION | We share knowledge and experience to achieve a significant and
positive impact on relational systems.
VISION | Together, we work so that communities may thrive and people may
feel a sense of belonging and be valued in their differences.
VALUES|
Courage. We raise our voice for what we believe to be just. We challenge the
status quo and established beliefs, aware that change begins with the willingness
to engage and take the first step. We open new paths by placing relationships at
the center, acknowledging that processes take time and recognizing, with clarity,
that relationships matter.
Curiosity. Because we want to understand more and better, we seek to embrace
and accept difference. In relating to what is different, we need curiosity to
welcome what is unknown and humility to avoid assuming we know everything.
We practice humble restlessness, aware that questions arise from the recognition
that we do not hold the complete picture. We investigate in order to truly
understand the community we engage with, attentive to its boundaries,
dynamics, and identities.
Care. We care for communities by creating effective relational systems where all
people feel seen and recognized. We do so by discerning and responding to
needs — both expressed and unspoken — through attentive listening and
genuine presence. We believe that care begins within ourselves: caring for
ourselves is a condition for caring for others. We extend this commitment to the
planet we inhabit, recognizing that relational care is also environmental.
Mutual respect. Seeing people as they are, and not as we would like them to be,
is the starting point for any authentic relationship. We show that we recognize
the value of others not only in words but in actions — accepting their limits,
listening to understand, and welcoming the other as a legitimate other. Mutual
respect is not just a principle; it is a condition for relating with integrity and
depth. We demonstrate respect when we co-produce solutions together, when
we acknowledge that there are multiple truths, and when we are able to separate
the person from their actions, respecting their humanity even in contexts of
conflict or difference.
Leaders of the founding organizations after signing the Lisbon Declaration in July 2025
Founding Document from Lisbon Meeting July 2025
Background
Several founding partners met at the Roundtable 2024 in Berkeley, then a broader group met virtually in February, March, May and June 2025 to discuss the promotion, research, and application of relational coordination and relational evolution across different sectors globally. The ambition of the Network is to provide a global platform where organizations, practitioners, and researchers can engage in the development and dissemination of relational models. These models will be applied to areas such as healthcare, education, community building, public sector and organizational development more broadly.
Rui Marques, Jody Hoffer Gittell and Marta Marques at the RCC Roundtable in Berkeley, November 2024
Founding Partners
Relational Lab (https://site.relationallab.pt/)
- Vasco Andrade
- Francisca Assis Teixeira
- Rui Marques
- Marta Marques
- Sofia Pereira
Instituto Relacional de Barcelona (https://www.institutorelacional.org/)
- Mora Del Fresno
- Pau Quintana
- Joan Quintana
- Noelia Rodriguez
- Esther Trujillo
The Relationships Project (https://relationshipsproject.org/)
- Neil Denton
- David Robinson
County Devon (https://www.devon.gov.uk/)
- Matt Jones
- Catherine Dunnett
Relational Coordination Collaborative (https://heller.brandeis.edu/relational-coordination/index)
- Claus Jebsen
- Fernanda Artimos de Oliveira
- Lauren Hajjar
- Ignacio Pavez Barrio
- Miranda Jane Safir
- John Paul Stephens
RELATE Lab (https://www.relatelab.org)
- Leah Gordon
- Matthew Lewis
- Alexander Mansour
- Brian Park
- Niki Steckler
- Anais Tuepker
Relational Coordination Analytics (https://rcanalytic.com/)
- Heba Ali
- Jody Hoffer Gittell
- Wale Olaleye
- Ann Tukari
INRD Events
|
Date/Time |
Location |
Event |
|
May 22, 2025 |
Virtual - DONE |
May RC Cafe: Building the International Network for Relational Development |
|
July 22-24, 2025 |
Lisbon - DONE |
Conference for the International Network for Relational Development, hosted by the Relational Lab |
|
July 24-29, 2025 |
Copenhagen - DONE |
Academy of Management Annual Meeting - Special events hosted by the RCC and the Organization Development and Change Division |
|
September 25, 2025 |
Online |
|
|
November 6-8, 2025 |
Boston |
RCC Roundtable: Finding Integrative Solutions to Complex Problems - How Relationships Matter |