Meeting Guide
Building Movements: Circle Discussion Guide
Overview
Tilted: A Lean In Podcast brings you conversations at the intersection of gender and culture. We dig into topics we’re curious about, highlight inspiring people and stories, and share expert advice to help you make the playing field a little less tilted. Individually or as a group, listen to “From the ground up, Building movements with Jamie Margolin & Shannon Watts” the third episode in Season 2 of Tilted (available here). Use the questions below for a group discussion on the themes and ideas shared in the episode.
About this episode
- We know big problems require big solutions. But change almost always starts small, with one person rolling up their sleeves and deciding to go all in. In this episode of Tilted, we talk to two people who did exactly that. Jamie Margolin and Shannon Watts both started grassroots movements aimed at addressing huge environmental and social challenges. They share stories from their early days as activists, tips for starting or joining a movement, and suggestions for driving change in your own life.
Check-In
Group activity
5 minutes or less
An icebreaker is a powerful tool to help us become present with one another and ourselves. Use this icebreaker to see how your Circle members currently feel. Go around your Circle and share an update on how you’re feeling using the traffic light colors:
- Green (mostly good)
- Yellow (mixed feelings, unsure, or just OK)
- Red (mostly not doing great)
You can also briefly share why you’re feeling that way if you’d like.
Discussion Questions
Group activity
Approx. 35 minutes
These questions are designed to help you and your Circle members process and discuss the findings of the episode.
Have someone in the group read aloud the key takeaways from this episode, summarized below:
- If you care about an issue, take the plunge and get involved—don’t worry about your level of knowledge or experience. To some extent, everyone involved in a movement is learning as they go.
- Pinpoint your “why.” What makes this issue important to you? What’s your vision for a better future? As Jamie said, you need to hold on to that—it’s easy to lose sight of it in the day-to-day work of building a movement.
- Apply the skills you already have. If you’re an artist, scientist, marketing expert, or computer whiz, share those skills and find a way to use them in service of the movement.
- Take care of yourself, and ask for help. Driving change doesn’t have to be a solo effort. Find other people who share your passion, whose skills complement yours, and who can take the baton when you need a break.
- Learn from setbacks. Shannon shared the powerful idea of “losing forward”—if something doesn’t work out, use that as feedback and motivation to show up stronger for the next push.
As a group, discuss the following questions. Pick one question to start with and move on to the other questions if you have time.
- Name one or more causes you care about, and “pinpoint your why”—why is this issue important to you personally, and what’s your vision for a better future?
- Take inventory of your skills, and think about how you might be able to use them as an activist. What are some unique things you could contribute to a movement?
- How do you cope with setbacks? How might you “lose forward” the next time you face a challenge?
One Action
Group activity
Approx. 10 minutes
Come up with a One Action
Individual activity
Approx. 5 minutes
We recommend you close every meeting by committing to a “One Action”—one concrete thing you’re going to do before your next Circle meeting to step outside your comfort zone, practice a new skill, or try something new, based on what you’ve discussed today.
Next time you meet, update your Circle on your One Action (what you did and how it went).
This month, think about an action you can take to contribute to a movement you care about.
Take a few minutes and ask everyone to write down their One Action.
Share your One Action with your Circle
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
One by one, go around your Circle and and complete the following statement: I commit to [small step]...
Move quickly from member to member, and consider cheering one another on as you go.
Wrap-Up
Group activity
Approx. 10 minutes
Finalize logistics of your next meeting
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
Before you break, make sure you have the basics covered for your next meeting, including day and time. Decide what you’re going to do, when you are going to meet next, and who is going to send out ideas. You may also want to talk through what worked—and what didn’t—in today’s meeting so you can brainstorm improvements going forward.
Close on an uplifting note
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
Think of one small moment of joy you can plan for this week. Go around your Circle one by one and share what you’ll do. Alternatively, take a few minutes to write down something you’re grateful for—and share it with the group, if you’d like to.
