Most people don’t tend to think about shapes or geometry in relation to leadership. And yet if you think about it we have many linear, square and oblong shapes that pervade our organisational spaces especially in business.
The boardroom table, the office desk, the rows of desks. Perhaps it’s driven by space efficiency but I suspect it has more to do with power and stability. In sacred geometry the square or something with 4 corners is linked with the physical or material world – with orientation and direction. Anything with 4 corners is more stable and yet also risks becoming overly fixed.
The circle on the other hand represents oneness and wholeness and is far more feminine in nature. It brings a sense of space, inclusion and movement. King Arthur insisted on a round table as the space of counsel with his knights. He wanted equality of voice, the potential for deeper listening and the visibility for all that a round table would enable. Deep within our psyche is the ancient power of working and living in circle.
In leadership today, we are increasingly called upon to work in a more inclusive way and to facilitate the space for people to be heard. This is made harder when we have old symbols, structures and ways of working.
What if we were to adopt more circle-based practises in our leadership? For example, creating the space for everyone to be heard. Focusing more clearly on how we are showing up and bringing our full presence. Ensuring we circle back around when all have shared to ensure nothing new has arisen – it may take more time, but it could facilitate a different level of richness. And on a very practical level, holding meetings in circles rather than around square or oblong tables invites a new connection with each other.
Wholeness is. It exists. We create separation through our own behaviours and mindsets. Embracing the quality of the circle, of oneness gives us the chance to reclaim that wholeness through our leadership practise.