The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair
by Christina Baldwin & Ann Linnea
2010 · Berrett-Koehler Publishers · 218 pages
An authoritative and accessible guide to this foundational form of collaborative decision-making. Written by two pioneers in reviving, standardizing and popularizing Circle processes, the book uses images, stories and step-by-step instructions to teach the basics of Circle and explore its deeper meanings.
What approach can best create an environment that ensures clear speaking, compassionate listening, and the making of well-grounded decisions? The most ancient one: the circle. The circle was the form of original gathering that taught human beings how to create social patterns. All modern group processes open to collaboration or to flattening the hierarchy are based in some way on circle practices. Here, two veteran practitioners offer a comprehensive guide to this foundational form of human interaction.
The Circle Way lays out the basics of Circle conversation based on the original work of the coauthors, who have studied and standardized the essential elements of circle practice and have been implementing them in a variety of organizations for many years. The book opens with a unique visual guide to circle and then presents both structure and story so that readers understand how these elements come into play and how they are interrelated and interactive. Baldwin and Linnea include detailed instructions and suggestions for getting started, setting goals, and solving conflicts. And they delve into the deeper aspects of circle, illuminating the profound transformation the process has on people who participate in it. [Text Source: Berrett-Koehler Publishers]
