Digna de Bruin was trained as a lawyer and was a partner at a renowned firm for many years. Gradually, she realized that the existing way of contracting is often an obstacle to sustainable collaboration, especially with complex societal issues.

Mistrust and suspicion often form the breeding ground for an agreement. Even power plays are not shunned if one party has the upper hand over the other. What one party “scores” in points are losing points for the other. The common interest hardly materializes, and the lack of trust puts the collaboration under pressure right from the start. This results in suboptimal outcomes and continuous conflicts.

Digna believes things can be done differently and better. She developed the unique ‘Rechtmakersmethode’ (Right-Makers Method), which is partly based on the American conscious contracting. In the Rechtmakersmethode, contracting takes shape through a joint dialogue about the potential of a sustainable collaboration. It's about jointly untangling difficult knots, finding new combinations, pushing boundaries, and mutually changing and improving. This is only possible if the quality of interaction reaches a much higher level. For example, by working in special compositions where participants exchange fundamental ideas, clarify expectations and concerns, and everyone works together on a bold, shared, and supported vision. Commitment, transparency, and a deeply felt 'intention' lead parties to great, often unexpected results. Contracting becomes sustainable connection, focused on a high degree of effectiveness, engagement, and agility.

The Rechtmakers Methode (Lawmakers Method) is in many ways completely different from the way legal professionals traditionally work. It is an intensive process, with active input from everyone and where points of tension are consciously given a lot of attention. The final text of the agreement, on the other hand, is short, concise, and written in readable language. Guidance from a neutral and expert facilitator, the Rechtmaker, is essential.

The Rights Maker Method has proven successful in diverse sectors, especially in public/private partnerships. This includes the healthcare sector between insurers and healthcare providers, as well as with governmental bodies such as provinces and municipalities, and semi-governmental institutions like housing corporations or ProRail, which seek cooperation with commercial parties in areas such as project development, the banking sector, or business services. Digna's personal mission is to train as many people as possible in the Rights Maker Method, thereby strengthening cooperation between parties aimed at a better world for people, animals, and nature.

More information about training programs and project guidance can be found at www.derechtmakers.nl.