The concept of using a circle as a means for collaborative dialogue has been around for a long time. When you do a “Google Search” on the words “mentoring circle” you get over 14,000,000 hits. Mentoring is referenced historically as far back as Ancient Greek times and the word itself was inspired by the character of Mentor in Homer's Odyssey. The practice of a healing circle is one that has been around for a long time wherein elders in the community would facilitate a healing circle.

Today we see the use of a “circle” in a number of different concepts. One of the techniques to leverage the “gift of mentoring” is a “mentoring circle.” I have a personal connection with mentoring circles in that I have been hosting one every second Saturday for about two to three years now. The format has evolved as I wanted to make sure that people were getting value from our time together. The format addresses the personal and professional growth of each participant based on their needs. My role is to facilitate that growth and to recognize when we need to take time to address the personal aspect.

For about the last 6-7 months we have been discussing various mentoring concepts using action_outcome statements that are part of a mentor certification we offer through the International Mentoring Community (IMC). We now spend the entire hour discussing an action_outcome statement and how it impacts mentoring and how it might impact them as a mentor. As a result I have seen tremendous growth in each of the participants. Their appetite for mentoring knowledge and mentoring concepts continues to grow.

My role as the host of the “mentoring circle” is to facilitate the dialogue that takes place. Ensuring that everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts and opinions is key to the success of the circle. We have had times where we got to see mentoring in action when a colleague would bring to the circle a real life situation that they were dealing with. I would guide them through the conversation and reference back to some of the relevant action_outcome statements. The “mentoring circle” can provide for some deep and meaningful dialogue when facilitated properly and can result in a deeper and richer mentoring experience overall.

The “mentoring circle” is a powerful way for us to leverage “The Gift of Mentoring” and “make you successful!”

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentorship