The Leadership Circle Programme is a different form of leadership development; it uses the context of the woods, campfire and circle to support leaders connect to what it means to be human and a leader at this point in time.
Today’s Leadership Challenge
The leadership being demanded of today is different than that of the past. We are needed to work within the contexts of intersecting global challenges, shifting societies, responding at pace. More people want their work to provide a sense meaning beyond providing for their families; seeking a sense of contribution. Leadership is being asked to provide ‘transformation’, and quickly. But this will only be possible through expanding perceptions and developing different ways of thinking and acting.
There are no easy answers, but one thing is for sure, it will require deeper capabilities in the art and skills of observation, reflection and learning.
Leadership development
Given this context, what sort of leadership development is needed?
We would argue that leadership development needs to be more about learning to tap into your innate knowing as a human being. One that supports you to understand more about your own experience of the world, and what this is telling you. We believe Leadership Circling is a powerful methodology that can provide this.
Leadership Circles
The leadership circle is a key part of this programme. The circle symbolises wholeness and continuity, it also represents the cyclical nature of all things. In a circle there is no hierarchy, all are equal, making it the perfect setting for something very real and important to take place.
Circling is experiential, it is a practice of coming together with others, listening deeply and being heard deeply. The practice invites you to pay attention to your own experience in the moment as well as to each other, supporting each other with your presence. Through this process you will experience a deeper sense of connection to yourself, others and the wider world. It will allow you to see things with a new perspective, gain clarity as well as allow insights to emerge.
The woods and the campfire
Nature is not separate from us, we are nature. However, in the modern world, we have disconnected from our internal and external nature. We live in a time of advancing technology; this way of life has advantages, but the cost has been a disconnection from our innate knowledge of our place within the whole.
Coming back to nature means coming back to ourselves also. By slowing down and being with nature we open our curiosity, creativity and are able to engage more actively in problem solving and collaboration.
Sitting in circle around the campfire has taken place for hundreds of thousands of years. Traditionally the campfire circle was a space for storytelling, social bonding and decision making. When we sit in circle today, we are connecting to a forgotten part of ourselves. We are able to feel a deeper connection with each other, taking us out of our heads, allowing us to experience our whole selves as human beings; living in this place, at this point in time, supporting us to tap into our own insights and wisdom.
We therefore very intentionally hold our leadership circles outside in woods near York. This both allows us to directly experience our wider context whilst we are learning, and we also use the metaphor of the woods, ecosystems and nature to support the leadership development.