VisionCircle

Initiator's Kit

How to get a group of people together

A VisionCircle can be composed of people from a wide range of backgrounds and interests.

The challenge facing a VisionCircle, if it is to be successful, is how to establish a VisionCircle that will deliver the promised benefits to its members?

The success of a VisionCircle rests on two fundamental elements:

  1. Having the "right" people in it;
  2. Following the endorsed processes built upon the experience of others.

2.1 What type of people to look for

The experience of the VisionCircle Movement is that one shouldn't persuade or "sell" people to join a VisionCircle - rather, people either understand the potential for the fulfilment of their own aspirations, or their don't. If they understand the potential, they will want to be involved in a VisionCircle when all their questions are answered. If they don't understand the potential, or would rather "do it alone", then they won't want to be part of a VisionCircle.

The Golden Rule of VisionCircle membership is that only people who really want to be in a VisionCircle are the only people who will commit to the challenge and hard work. Conversely, a person who doesn't want to be in a VisionCircle shouldn't be.

If the Initiator is determined to commence a VisionCircle, then in broad terms, these are the types of people who may be interested and who offer the greatest potential for membership:

  • People who will listen to new ideas;
  • People who have an aspiration or dream;
  • People who are unhappy with what they are doing;
  • People who are tolerant of other people and cultures;
  • People who have tried a range of strategies to achieve happiness but who have not entirely succeeded;
  • People who seek to help humanity

Although these are broad guidelines and characteristics that you may easily identify in people you know, another valuable Golden Rule is: don't assume that people will, or won't be interested in the VisionCircle concept.

The people who join the Movement who appear "counter-typical" consistently surprise us. Some of these people have made magnificent contributions to the fulfilment of happiness of others – a contribution that would have been lost had stereotypes for members been applied.

The reason that these "counter-typical" people surprise us is that we don't always know what interests, concerns, pains or drives people. We therefore often make assumptions about others but we are often wrong – no matter how well we know them.

The Movement's experience suggests that one should not use one's own employment context as the principal place from which to find new Circle members. The reason for this is simple: many personal visions involve no longer doing that which the member is currently doing. It's hard to expect some co-workers (superiors and subordinates) to openly support a personal vision if leaving that employer will directly impact, threaten or disadvantage them. The involvement of some co-workers is appropriate provided no potential exists for anyone's interests to be compromised or conflicted.

There is a risk that people construct the VisionCircles from their existing networks, associates and friends, many or most of whom who are of "similar" backgrounds and interests. Although this is a natural tendency, it does limit the potential power of the VisionCircle.

Diversity of membership provides diversity of values, attitudes, opportunities, skills, networks, connections and breadth and scope of perspective. As such, diversity enhances the opportunity to bring innovative and powerful solutions to any personal vision.

When we speak of diversity, we mean diversity in:

  • Age
  • Sex
  • Sexual preference
  • Education
  • Career
  • Socio-economic group
  • Religion
  • Political views
  • Hobbies and interests

The only condition to the principle of  diversity is that a person's views and attitudes should not bring, by direct, subversive or implied action, any harm to others.

It is not suggested that every VisionCircle should be composed of members comprising the full spectrum of "diversity".

What we do say however is that diversity in membership will enhance the VisionCircle rather than hinder it, and that in building your Circle, you should be aware of the benefits that diversity offers. It makes building trust and understanding a little harder to achieve, but the "payoffs" far exceed such difficulties.

Leaving aside the self-serving usefulness of having a diverse VisionCircle, the satisfaction of working effectively and in a mutually beneficial manner with people of diverse backgrounds can be profoundly satisfying.

And in any case, VisionCircle members who graduate into the VisionCircle Collegiate will need to work with people around the world who have a higher degree of diversity than will probably be encountered in one's own VisionCircle – so one may as well get used to it.

People not able to exhibit and practice tolerance toward people of diverse backgrounds have little potential for successfully participating in the VisionCircle.

Some people you invite will ask whether their partner can attend the first meeting. We welcome people with their partners attending the first meeting but we do not "allow" partners to participate in the same VisionCircle. This is because partners in the same VisionCircle decrease the power of the Circle since partners would work for their mutual benefit in any case. It is more effective for partners to be in separate VisionCircles because in that way they, as a "family" get the benefit of 40 people (2 VisionCircles) rather than "just" 20 people from 1 VisionCircle. Separate VisionCircles for partners also minimises potential disruption to a Circle in the event of a partner-dispute.

Many people ask whether one should start a VisionCircle composed from "strangers" or from friends. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

If one starts a Circle from among one's friends then the advantages are:

  • Shorter time needed to build trust and a relationship
  • Lower potential for conflict or personality problems between members
  • Skills and capabilities are understood sooner
  • Potentially a higher level of commitment to fellow members early in the life of the Circle

The disadvantages of starting a Circle from among one's friends are:

  • Potentially limited diversity among friendship group
  • Pre-existence of assumptions about member motivations
  • Pre-existence of a relationship history which may hinder later developments
  • Harder for new members to "break into" the "family"
  • Agreement to participate may be coloured by the relationship between initiator and member and may not be out of the member's conviction and commitment to the concept

The advantages of starting a Circle of "strangers" are:

  • Same start point for everyone
  • No preconceptions about individuals – everyone is free to build new image and relationship
  • Potentially higher level diversity among "stranger" group
  • No relationship history that may hinder later developments
  • Easier for new members to "break into" the "family"
  • Less likely that agreement to participate is coloured by the relationship between initiator and member and therefore less likely to not be the member's real conviction and commitment to the concept

The disadvantages of starting a Circle of "strangers" are:

  • Longer time needed to build trust and a relationship
  • Higher potential for conflict or personality problems between members
  • Skills and capabilities of members take more time to understand
  • Potentially a lower level of commitment to fellow members early in the life of the Circle

2.2 How to invite people

An effective way to determine whether someone is interested in the VisionCircle concept is by talking to them about the Movement and for them to tell you that they are interested and want to learn more.

Since such a request is unsolicited, it is probably sincere and suggests legitimate interest. If you speak of the Movement and then ask, "are you interested", you're not quite sure whether a positive response is out of courtesy or whether it is sincere. If merely a courtesy, you might be wasting a lot of their and your time

Existing members of VisionCircles have found that the topic of VisionCircles and their interest and involvement in them come up frequently in conversation with people they know.

People are generally interested in what their friends are doing or what they are interested in. Talking about the VisionCircle Concept in that context is therefore natural.

People may be threatened if directly asked to commit to hear more about the concept or if invited to join a group that (to that point) they know very little about. They also get upset if invited to attend a meeting that turns out to be a "scam" or merely a "front" for something else. People are on their guard against approaches from friends to participate in a wide range of network marketing programs and are often affronted by them or suspicious of such meetings and activities.

The Movement's policy is clear:

  • Never represent the Movement as anything it is not;
  • Never lie when talking about the Movement;
  • If you don't know the answer to a question, say so, but offer to find out the answer and get back to them;
  • Never get someone to attend a VisionCircle event under false pretences;
  • Never promise anyone that the VisionCircle will do things it can't do.

If in mentioning your interest in the VisionCircle Movement during natural conversation, the other person expresses (what appears to be) sincere interest, then you can ask whether they would be interested in hearing more about the concept, and then give them details of your next or proposed meeting or that you will advise them when you have organised such a meeting.

2.3 What should you say?

If you know someone really well, and as a result of him or her expressing a problem or desire to you, you can approach them and say something like:

"When we last met, you mentioned that you were trying to achieve "X" but weren't quite sure of how to achieve it. I've recently become aware of a concept named VisionCircles which might be of interest in helping you achieve "x". I'm happy to arrange for you to find out more about it to see if it can help. Would you like me to do that for you?"

Where an Initiator has a wide circle of friends, it is acceptable to selectively choose them according to the comments above, and say something like:

"When we last met, you recall I mentioned that I had become aware of the VisionCircle concept and you expressed some interest. I've come across a number of people who have a similar interest. So I've decided to get someone to come and talk to me about the concept so that I can make an informed decision about whether it suits me and what I'm trying to do with my life. Do you want to join us on that night."

2.4 Reminder notices

When you are setting up the inaugural meeting, you should attempt to have at least 10 people present if you intend inviting a VisionCircle Foundation member to talk about the concept.

Conversely, VisionCircles Foundation members are pleased to meet with small groups of people and even potential members on a one-on-one basis subject only to the availability of the Foundation member. If you require this help please direct your request to jacoby@jacobyconsulting.com.au with your request.

You should set a date that gives people at least three to four weeks' notice of the meeting that gives them ample notice and enables them to schedule around this date.

As a guide, contact with initial invitees to a briefing session should be as follows:

  • Four weeks (minimum) from proposed briefing session - First discussion (one-on-one) to establish their interest in hearing more about the concept;
  • Three weeks from proposed briefing session - Contact by phone or e-mail confirming meeting date;
  • Two weeks from proposed briefing session - Contact by phone or e-mail confirming location;
  • One week from proposed briefing session - Contact by phone or in person confirming that a member of the VisionCircle Foundation has agreed to address the group;
  • Two days from proposed briefing session - Contact by phone or in person confirming attendance.

The frequency of contact is intentional as it establishes "commitment and obligation" to follow through – namely to turn up and hear more about something they said they were interested in.

Secondly, by keeping the communication regular, it builds expectation and excitement.

All we expect is that if you have gone to the effort of organising a briefing session and had members of the VisionCircle Foundation commit to address the group, then the people you invited who expressed interested should turn up – no matter what the outcome of their decision to participate.

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