Comments on: Rearranging Chairs as an Act of Leadership

By: James G Despain

James G Despain — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 21:34:54 +0000

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By: Justyna Bizdra

Justyna Bizdra — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 15:53:07 +0000

Hi,
I love creativity and your post gives me some new ideas:) I use brainstorming quite often and how we sit or walk around matters a lot. Now, after reading your post, I’ve got some “sitting methods of improvement” in my mind:)
.-= Justyna Bizdra´s last blog ..Is WordPress Security of any importance to you? =-.

By: James Wells

James Wells — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:56:06 +0000

Any gathering can benefit from circular arrangements. Our mastermind group, made up of five self-employed folks, meets in circle format once a month and it helps us to be open and honest with one another. My last birthday party was in a large hall, so I placed a large potted plant in the centre of the room as a focal point of life and growth, then arranged chairs in circular groups of four or five in various places around the room. The conversations were delicious! .-= James Wells´s last blog ..Do the Prep Work! =-.

By: Leila Monaghan

Leila Monaghan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:49:56 +0000

I too am a major chair mover, usually to get circles in classroom settings. Having worked with the Deaf community for many years, I have a strong sense of “Deaf etiquette”–if people can’t see you, they can’t understand what you are “saying.” For discussion between individuals (usually students in my case), they have to talk to each other’s faces, not to their backs.

By: cv harquail

cv harquail — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:28:41 +0000

HI Sandy –
I know I’m not the only covert chair re-arranger, so I appreciate knowing that I have good company…You’d really like the whole argument and explanation for The Circle Way (the book), since it goes into greater detail about the reasons for and cross-cultural uses of the circle format. Also, Baldwin & Linnea add process guidelines and a framework that really expanded how I’d been thinking of the interaction between circles and group dynamics == esp their idea that in a circle, leadership is on the lip of every seat. cv

By: Sandy

Sandy — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:51:23 +0000

CV, I do this too.

It’s amazing what happens when a “business” meeting happens in a room without tables, where no one can pretend to be taking notes, or check their Blackberry under the table.

The lack of tables can be really disconcerting, and make people anxious. It draws their attention to how little eye contact they are used to during a meeting. I think eye contact is a key part of authentic face-to-face conversation.

Oh, and my students from the Marines tell me that the circle was an important lesson for them when meeting with Afghan tribal elders.