The Circle Way
A Leader in Every Chair
By: Christina Baldwin, Ann Linnea
Published: March 2010
Format: Paperback, 218pp
ISBN-13: 9781605092560
ISBN-10: 1605092568
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
"The circle way is a practice of reestablishing social partnerships and creating a world in which the best of collaboration informs and inspires the best of hierarchical leadership", write speakers and co-founders of PeerSpirit, Inc., Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea, in their transformational and revolutionary book The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair. The authors share their years of combined wisdom, in reviving the ancient concept of the circle, into a modern methodology that combines collaboration, clear speaking, open listening, and creative problem solving.
Christina Baldwin (photo left) and Ann Linnea understand the ancient power of the circle, and its deep resonance within all people and through all cultures. The idea of the circle, as a means to share stories, ideas, knowledge, and timeless wisdom dates to the dawn of human history. Ancient people sat in a circular fashion around a fire, a symbol, or object of veneration, and talked. The circle provided everyone with equal participation in the process, and an equal voice in deliberations and decision making. People feel a deep sense of belonging and safety when sharing a circle, leading to more creative discussion, better problem solving, and providing better conflict resolution. For these reasons, the authors propose the circle method for stronger and more participatory decision making within organizations.
Ann Linnea (photo left) and Christina Baldwin share the critical insight that the circle concept, not changes the power structure during a discussion, but also has a deep transformational effect on the way that people think and approach problems. The circle alters the fundamental viewpoint of its practitioners. Instead of the leader being placed in a position of power, all members of the circle share the opportunity to become leaders, due to the egalitarian circle structure. With the underlying thought process changed into a circle model, people begin to think in collaborative ways, and not in terms of rigid hierarchy. The lessons learned, and the personal changes that result from the circle, manifest themselves in all areas of a person's life. This revolutionary change in the mode of thinking leads to profound listening and communication skills transformation, and a more cooperative mindset for problem solving and idea sharing.
For me, the power of the book is how Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea combine the theory of the transformational aspects of the circle process, with practical techniques for applying the circle to any organizational or personal setting. The authors share how to flatten the hierarchical structure, through their proven methodology. They also highlight success stories of real world organizations who have utilized the circle concept to solve their problems in a collaborative manner. The authors describe in detail how to begin a circle system, how to set the purpose and intention of the circle, and how to move the group toward creative and effective conflict resolution.
In many ways, the book presents a powerful and transformational new worldview, based on collaboration rather than rigid hierarchy. The result is a life changing and affirming model that respects all participants as equal partners, whose voices can and will be heard by everyone. In the end, everyone benefits from this powerful, yet simple to use system that provides for real and lasting change.
I highly recommend the brilliant and landmark book The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair by Ann Linnea and Christina Baldwin, to anyone seeking a collaborative approach to problem solving and conflict resolution, based on listening and sharing ideas in a safe and trusting format. The circle way is so revolutionary that it is destined, in today's world of unresolved problems and unanswered questions, to become an important and crucial area of organizational study.
Read the seminal book The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair by Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea, and discover the ancient way of the circle, and how to apply its methodology in the modern world. The power of the circle way will transform any organization into a listening one, with rotating leadership in the circle, and powerful problem solving and conflict resolution results.
