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As we head further into 2024, we are seeing that living with many kinds of uncertainties, from layoffs to geopolitical instability and election year jitters, have long-lasting impacts on our work. Some of my early predictions have already come true, such as employee retention strategies being tested and employees struggling with mental health.
This era of heightened uncertainty requires an evolved leadership style to successfully cultivate team morale and organizations that can successfully withstand economic headwinds. From what I’ve seen, most companies have struggled to adapt and make the necessary changes. The paradigm is rapidly shifting, meaning that leaders and teams are best served by remaining agile to optimize performance and satisfaction levels amid limited and dwindling resources.
What is circular communication?
So, how can companies keep up? To achieve a level of success that everyone can feel across the organization, leaders can benefit from enlisting authentic, broader feedback. A “new, old tool” that can effectively optimize team communication and collaboration and set up groups that thrive rather than survive is the circle. Ancient cultures and indigenous peoples have used this communication technique for centuries. In some areas of modern life, circles are utilized, but they are far from mainstream. In contrast to the “default world’s” hierarchical communication style, the circle format provides an opportunity for equal participation and an inclusive environment where everyone has a chance to speak authentically and be heard.
Using the circle format in the workplace presents an opportunity to create an environment where a group can see a much broader perspective, clarify solutions, identify a clearer path forward, experience fewer blindspots and heighten employee engagement and satisfaction. One recent example of an industry that could have benefited from this approach is banking. What if the leaders of these banks had encouraged circles as a framework for communication and part of a risk assessment process? Perhaps the risks that caused their demise would have been weighted differently. The circle format offers a new way of thinking about creating a culture of listening. This can be transformational.
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How can organizations implement a circle format?
There are several guidelines to follow:
1. Circles work best in small group settings (approximately five to 10 people).
2. Everyone in the meeting imagines no hierarchy for the meeting duration.
3. The speaking order is set in a circle, ensuring all participants have an equal turn to share their perspectives. A timing function can be implemented (a five-minute limit per person, for example).
4. The speaker shares their experience without agreeing or disagreeing with others, and participants listen attentively without premeditating their responses.
By doing so, leaders can gain a more holistic understanding of their team’s perspectives and identify missed opportunities. As each person speaks, everyone listens. There is no responding, only listening. When the group speaks by going around the circle entirely, the topic of the circle has been thoroughly evaluated and answered. If needed, the circle can take another full turn, perhaps a shorter duration per speaker (two to three minutes max). A natural course of action can come out of the circle but is not mandated.
Conclusion
Leaders who embrace this approach can set their teams up for success, especially in a world where remote work and fewer in-person interactions are becoming the norm.
The circle format offers a new way of thinking about workplace communication and can transform workplace culture for the better.
