Lead your first meeting with confidence

Lead your first meeting with confidence

Your first Circle meeting sets the tone for everything that follows. It's your chance to build trust and show members what this group can become. You don't need to be perfect — you need to be prepared, present, and willing to lead with intention.

48 hours before

Send a simple reminder to the group. Confirm the time, the location or virtual link, and share a little about what to expect. When people know what's coming, they arrive feeling prepared.

Plan your opening remarks — two or three short sentences are plenty. Share why you started the Circle and what you hope it will accomplish. Then read the First Meeting Guide. You don't need to memorize it — just be familiar with how the meeting will flow.

Your 60-minute run of show

0:00–0:10 · Welcome and introductions

Start on time and thank everyone for being there. Share why you started this Circle and what you hope members will gain. When you're open and sincere, others feel comfortable being the same.

Then go around the Circle. Ask each person to share, in 60–90 seconds:

• My name is…
• One word for how I'm feeling coming into this meeting is…
• I joined this Circle because…

0:10–0:20 · Circle Fundamentals

Establish shared expectations by reading the four core values aloud together: confidentiality, compassion, communication, and commitment. Together, they create a space where everyone feels respected, supported, and safe to participate.

Then ask: does anything need to be adjusted for our group? Once everyone agrees, go around and have each person say "I'm in" or give a thumbs up.

0:20–0:30 · How we'll show up for each other

A Circle only works if people keep showing up — so agree on the basics now. As a group, decide:

• A regular day and time. Pick a recurring slot and schedule your next three meetings before you leave today.
• Your meeting format. In person, virtual, or a mix?
• Between-meeting communication. Set up a group chat on Lean In Connect or another tool so you can share resources and cheer each other on.
• Your leadership model. One facilitator each time, or rotate? Either works — but someone should own logistics so meetings stay on the calendar.

0:30–0:50 · Where we are and where we're going

Part 1 (10 mins). Go around the Circle. Each person shares two things, about two minutes each: where they are right now (professionally or personally), and where they want to be — one thing they're working toward or hoping to change.

Part 2: Circle Time Capsule (10 mins). Now create something together. Each person contributes one sentence completing one of these:

• "What I'm bringing to this Circle is…"
• "What I hope to take away from this Circle is…"
• "Six months from now, I hope our Circle has…"

Write every sentence down in one place and keep it somewhere safe — it belongs to all of you. At your 6-month meeting, read the time capsule aloud and revisit everyone's "where I want to be" statements. How far have you come? What's changed?

0:50–1:00 · Wrap-up and one action

Before you close, confirm the date, time, and location of your next meeting (and set up your group chat now, while everyone's together, if you haven't already).

Then invite each person to commit to one concrete action — something small but real — they'll take before the group meets again. Saying it out loud makes it real, and builds momentum and accountability. Write these down so you can revisit them next time.

Finally, go around once more: "One word for how I'm feeling leaving this meeting is…" Thank everyone for participating, and end on time.

When it goes off-script

It will — and that's part of the process. Someone might share something heavy. The conversation might run long. There may be quiet moments. This is all normal. Acknowledge what's happening, gently guide the group back, and continue. Circles are about genuine connection, and building that can feel a little messy at first. That's human.

Within 24 hours

Follow up with a short message while the experience is still fresh. Thank everyone again for showing up, recap each person's One Action, and reconfirm your next meeting details. This small step keeps your momentum going and reinforces your commitment to the group.

How to know it worked

Your first meeting doesn't need to be flawless to be a success. Look for the small signs: people lingered after it ended, or someone said, "I needed this." If everyone agrees to come back for a second meeting, you've succeeded.

The goal of your first meeting is simply to begin — to start building a group where members feel supported, heard, and motivated to continue.