Circle Rep Values

A circle rep is different from a circle lead.

The lead steward helps the circle stay aligned to its purpose and move work forward inside the circle. The circle rep protects the voice, tensions, needs, and reality of the circle when interacting with the broader organization.

In sociocracy / Teal-inspired governance, this is often part of double-linking: one role links direction from the wider system into the circle, and the rep links lived reality from the circle back out to the wider system.

Core Teal values of a circle rep

Representation over personal opinion — They do not use the role to push their own agenda. They carry what the circle has actually sensed, decided, objected to, or needs.

Transparency over side-channel influence — They bring information back to the circle clearly. They do not privately shape outcomes and then present them as group direction.

Listening over persuasion — They need to hear minority concerns, tensions, risks, and objections, not just the loudest or most polished viewpoint.

Purpose over politics — They represent the circle's purpose, not factions, friendships, founders, vendors, or personal alliances.

Tension sensing over harmony management — They do not smooth over real issues just to keep things pleasant. They help the broader system see what is actually happening.

Accuracy over performance — They report what was actually said, decided, unresolved, or objected to. They do not exaggerate agreement.

Bridge-building over control — They connect the circle to the larger system without becoming a gatekeeper.

Basic requirements for a circle rep

A circle rep should be able to:

1. Understand the circle's GPS and charter — explain the circle's purpose, scope, authority, and boundaries.
2. Carry the circle's voice accurately — say, "Here is what the circle agreed," "Here is what is still unresolved," and "Here are the tensions we need help with."
3. Bring outside information back to the circle — after a General Circle, board, admin, or leadership conversation, report back clearly and promptly.
4. Name unresolved tensions — do not pretend there is agreement when there is not.
5. Avoid private capture — do not become the private messenger for one powerful person or side conversation.
6. Track decisions and objections — make sure the circle's official position is documented before representing it elsewhere.
7. Protect the circle from distortion — if someone outside misrepresents what the circle decided, the rep corrects it.
8. Understand escalation pathways — know what the circle can decide and what must go to the General Circle, founder, board, or another governing body.
9. Maintain trust with all sides — steady enough to represent disagreement without creating drama.
10. Demonstrate willingness to learn the governance model — understand the basics of self-organization, consent, advice process, and distributed authority.

One-line role definition

The circle rep carries the circle's voice, tensions, needs, and decisions into the wider organization, then brings relevant context back, so the circle stays connected without being controlled or misrepresented.

Simple selection criteria

A circle rep should be someone who is trusted to represent the group accurately, not overly aligned with one faction, transparent with side conversations, calm under tension, able to distinguish personal opinion from circle position, willing to document and report back, able to hold disagreement without collapsing into people-pleasing, committed to purpose not politics, and clear about what has and has not been decided.

Key distinction

A lead steward helps the circle function internally. A circle rep connects the circle to the wider organization without letting the circle's voice get distorted, captured, or erased.

Key points

A circle rep protects the circle's voice in the wider system (double-linking). Representation over personal opinion; transparency over side-channel influence; tension sensing over harmony management; accuracy over performance. Carries the circle's actual position, not their own agenda.