The Circle Way is a lightly formalized, lightly facilitated social structure founded in 1998 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to mainstreaming circle process as a transformative shift in how organizations and communities function and work together. Operating without hierarchical structure and instead working collaboratively through relationships of reciprocity, generosity, and trust, The Circle Way supports a diverse intergenerational community of circle practitioners while promoting racial, gender, disability, ethnic, economic, and environmental justice. The organization incubates and accelerates the growth of circle practices through comprehensive support including virtual circles, small grants for circle work, learning opportunities, networking connections via Global Colleagues and Practitioners Facebook group, monthly blogs and newsletters, plus educational resources like booklets, guides, and videos. Their work recognizes that circle process—where people sit in rounds, share speaking equally, and make decisions together—offers a profound alternative to hierarchical meeting structures that can transform how groups communicate, collaborate, and create collective wisdom. The Circle Way provides practical frameworks for implementing circle methodology across diverse settings while maintaining the essential principles that make this ancient form effective for contemporary challenges.
Why this matters: The Circle Way demonstrates how ancient council practices can be adapted for modern organizations and communities, offering structured yet flexible alternatives to hierarchical meeting formats that enable more authentic participation, shared leadership, and collective decision-making that honors every voice rather than privileging only the loudest or most powerful.
