The Power of The Circle

Today the Meeting Magic team have been facilitating a large meeting for 350 people. One of the great things about the meeting was the room we were in, and the layout. We worked in a HUGE circular room, arranged with cabaret-style tables of 6 in concentric circles, with a small stage in the middle.

In the same way as we know that Mandala’s, charts drawn around a central theme, show unity, so this layout gave a sense of wholeness and unity to the meeting. I noticed that many speakers intuitively moved around, as they spoke to their audience. By doing this they focused on the group, rather than focusing on slides.

There is something powerful about groups working in a circle, especially when the barrier of tables is removed. I frequently use this layout to start and end meetings. It means everyone can see each other well, and the sense of wholeness creates a great environment for powerful conversations.