I think we’re in the early stages of the birth of something like that — a growing practice of working for social outcomes, and a spread of fundamental skills for good relationship and communication. The networks are certainly growing and extending. People are finding each other across disciplines and practices, and within disciplines groups are forming around desire to leave the status quo and work in new ways.

The community of practice may take another 30 years to form. Despite all the current blustering and fumbling interpersonal ineptitude, I remain hopeful based on the rise of people spreading other ways to be and relate.

I look forward to a day when the fundamentals of healthy relationship and communication are more pervasive. And an ever-growing portion of communities and institutions have the tools to foster co-creation, help people heal relationship ruptures, facilitate groups through conflict without severe relationship damage, gather people across differences, and experiment their way forward in response to change.