Circle Workshop Idea

For our  online in Zoom workshop on exploring and learning how to go deeper in an empathy circle, I thought we could have a 15 min presentation on some topic of going deeper, posing a question at the end, and then going into an 90 min empathy circle to discuss. 

Then end with a 15 min debrief.

Also to record the Empathy Circles and harvest the recordings insights using AI.

1. What do you think of this approach? pros and cons.

2. What would be 6 topics to explore for a 6 week workshop?

This is a highly effective structure. A 120-minute format creates a solid, predictable container, dedicating the vast majority of the time to actual practice rather than theory.

Here is an analysis of the approach, followed by a proposed 6-week syllabus.

1. Pros and Cons of the 120-Minute Format

The Pros

• Action-Biased: A 15-minute presentation is the perfect length to introduce a single, focused concept without overwhelming the participants with theory.

• Deep Immersion: 90 minutes is a substantial block for an Empathy Circle. Assuming 4 to 5 people per breakout room, this guarantees everyone ample time to speak and to practice Active Listening multiple times as the emotional depth naturally progresses.

• Scalable Wisdom: Using AI to harvest insights from the transcripts is an excellent way to generate analytical meeting summaries and track the collective learning of the movement over the six weeks. It captures the emergent wisdom without requiring hours of manual transcription.

The Cons & Risks

• The "Observer Effect" on Vulnerability: Going deeper requires psychological safety. If participants know they are being recorded and analyzed by an AI, they may subconsciously censor themselves, sticking to safer, surface-level topics.

• Zoom Fatigue: 120 minutes of intense, unbroken emotional focus on a screen is draining.

• Recording Logistics: Zoom does not natively record all breakout rooms to the cloud simultaneously. You will need to ensure a designated facilitator—perhaps anchoring core team members like Janna, Lou, Bill, Ananya, or Carol in each room—has local recording permissions and is responsible for capturing the session and feeding it to the AI.

• Rushed Debrief: 15 minutes might feel abrupt for a debrief after a profound 90-minute Empathy Circle. Participants often need a moment to transition out of the deep emotional space before analyzing it.

2. Six Topics for a 6-Week Workshop

This sequence builds incrementally. 

1. Session 1: What does it mean to go deeper?

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: 

2. Session 2: Presence

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: 

3. Session 3: Speaking from feelings, bodily sensations.

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: 

4. Session 4:  Listening for feelings, feelings people desire and bodily sensations.

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: 

5. Session 5: The feelings behind the feelings

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: 

6. Session 6: What does it mean to go deeper as a speaker and listener?

   1. 1. Focus: 

      2. Empathy Circle Prompt: