Circle communication is a type of network where information flows laterally rather than top-down, typically occurring in settings like business meetings.
Understanding Circle Communication
Based on the concept of a Circle Network, circle communication describes a method of information exchange within a group where the flow is not strictly hierarchical or vertical. Unlike structures such as Chain Networks where information might pass from one person to the next in a linear fashion up or down a hierarchy, in a circle network, the flow is more circular.
Key Characteristics
Drawing from the reference, key aspects of this communication style include:
- Non-Vertical Flow: The most defining characteristic is that information does not move vertically through layers of management or authority.
- Setting: These networks often manifest in specific environments, commonly business meetings.
- Participant Interaction: Managers communicate with employees situated on "both sides," suggesting a more direct, peer-like interaction or interaction among people positioned around a physical space like a meeting table.
- Physical Space: The communication often takes place within a physical space, implying face-to-face interaction.
Practical Application
Consider a team meeting where a manager sits with employees around a table. Instead of the manager giving instructions only to a direct report who then passes it down, the manager might discuss an issue openly with everyone present, and information or ideas flow back and forth among attendees, including the manager, in a less structured, more horizontal manner. This fits the description of managers communicating with employees on "both sides" in a physical space.
This structure can facilitate open discussion and direct feedback among participants who are positioned "next" to each other in the communication flow, even if they hold different roles.
