What is a Circle?
A Circle is a small group of 4-6 manufacturing professionals who meet weekly for 15 minutes to share growth, build trust, and level up together through peer learning. Based on research from recognized leaders in the development community¹, Circles create intentional development where people share challenges, discuss solutions, and help each other grow their impact.
External Circles vs. Internal Circles
External Circles bring together leaders from different manufacturing companies, breaking you out of organizational silos to gain fresh perspectives on the issues you’re addressing. Your Circle’s collective experience becomes a resource for challenges within your organization, learning from peers across the industry without competitive concerns.
Internal Circles consist of people from within your organization focused on building communication, trust, and helping peers grow their impact for their own benefit and the benefit of the organization. Participation in circles benefits every level of leadership from executive, mid-level managers and supervisors, along with operators.
The Connection: Join an external Circle to learn how to build internal Circles throughout your shop. Learn from peers at other companies, then implement systematic peer learning with your own teams.
“First Article” Approach
Just like manufacturing runs a First Article to validate a process before full production, First Article Circles test systematic peer learning before organization-wide implementation. You have an affordable opportunity to test this within your organization at a smaller scale before expanding it across your shop.
Every shop implementing Circles does their own “first article” – validating that peer learning works in their specific culture and operation.
Founding Circle – Two Tracks Available
Looking for 4-6 companies to join our founding external CircleS
Companies with 25 employees or fewer: $1,300 total ($325/month × 4 months)
Develop 10-15 people across your entire operation – operators, supervisors, managers. Build one strong culture where everyone learns the same leadership language and supports each other’s development.
Companies with 26-75 employees: $2,000 total ($500/month × 4 months)
Run 4-6 people per month through the Circle process to launch your internal program. Build leadership culture throughout your organization at a pace that works for your operation.
What’s Included:
Ready to Build Leadership Development?
Stop promoting operators and hoping they figure out supervision. Start building systematic peer learning that develops everyone from shop floor to management.
Join manufacturing leaders implementing Circles in their operations. Monthly sessions with peers who understand your challenges, plus hands-on support building leadership culture in your shop.
¹ Trust by Henry Cloud; Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel; The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford.