Why Committed Connections Must Be the Foundation of Any Change Initiative

Committed connections are not a nice-to-have. They are the essential ingredient of any meaningful initiative to create lasting change.

Whether you’re leading a community effort, restructuring a team, or launching an equity initiative, you may already know that technical tools and strategic plans will only take you so far. What many leaders are just now beginning to realize is this: it’s the quality of connection—not the quantity of action—that drives long-term transformation.

And research backs this up. Michael Quinn Patton, one of the world’s most respected evaluation experts, shared his findings from a reflective process with the Blandin Foundation in Minnesota. Their findings? Belonging, committed connections, and relationship-based change were not only vital in program success—they were the outcome. In fact, committed connections and a sense of belonging were essential for healthy teams and healthy communities.

The difference between showing up and connecting

In their year-long learning process, the Blandin Foundation’s senior leadership team began with a question: what aspect of their work most needed to be deepened?

They chose committed connections.

Over six months, and later extended to a full year, this leadership team didn’t focus first on external strategy—they looked inward. They asked:

What does it mean to be a committed connector?
How do we build social capital, not just projects?
Are we truly showing up for one another as a team?

They realized that being in the same room wasn’t enough. Belonging doesn’t come from shared space; it comes from shared learning, facilitated reflection, and an intentional practice of building trust.

Blandin Foundation: Mountain of Accountability (used with permission)

Belonging is both the process and the outcome

One of the most powerful takeaways was this: connection is not just the “soft” stuff at the beginning of a change initiative. It’s the substance that holds the entire effort together.

Patton shares that strong committed connections took many forms—from connecting people to networks and knowledge, to disconnecting them from toxic dynamics. This kind of insight only emerged through slow, steady reflection. It’s not something a survey can measure, or a top-down mandate can force.

Instead, it required organization wide (teams, senior leadership, and boards):

Deep reflection on what belonging meant internally and externally
Facilitated team shared learning, not just “show and tell” reporting
Regular check-ins that moved from updates to shared insights

This approach mirrored the Belonging Matters Conversations framework—where lived and living experience is centered, team reflections are normalized, and the principle of belonging guides both strategy and action.

Awareness first, strategy second

If your organization is serious about system change, equity, or innovation, but hasn’t done the work of building committed connections—you’re building on shaky ground.

The good news? The Belonging Matters Conversations (BMC) process is designed to help teams start with belonging. Whether through our guided series, facilitator training, or strategic support, BMC helps you:

Build trust where there’s been silence or conflict
Bridge lived experience with decision-making
Develop people-centered solutions to complex problems

Before your next strategic plan, launch a Belonging Matters Conversation. Let’s help your team do more than just collaborate—let’s help them belong.

Tags:

Building trust, Committed connections, relationship-based change, Sense of belonging

About the Author:

Jessie Sutherland

An international speaker, trainer, and consultant, Jessie Sutherland works with organizations and communities to engage diversity, build belonging and ignite intercultural collaboration. Her approach creates sustainable community change that effectively addresses a wide range of complex social problems.

Share 0