Lean In Circles for Companies are small groups of employees who meet regularly to build leadership skills and support each other’s career growth.

Companies use Circles to strengthen talent pipelines and help each employee do their best work, improving the company’s overall performance.

Lean In Circles help organizations increase employee engagement, retention, and leadership readiness.

By combining structured peer support with practical leadership tools, Circles help employees build confidence, develop critical skills, and advance in their careers.

94% of Circle members report a positive change from participating in a Circle, including

• 36% took on a new challenge
• 23% were promoted
• 21% received a raise

Lean In Circles boost employee engagement by creating meaningful connections at work. When people feel supported and connected, they are more likely to stay engaged and perform at their best.

Circles bring employees together in small groups to build trust, share challenges, and grow together. This fosters a stronger sense of belonging—leading to higher engagement, better retention, and healthier workplaces.

Yes. Peer mentorship is an effective way to build confidence, skills, and leadership at work. When employees support one another, they are more likely to grow, stay engaged, and take on new challenges.

Lean In Circles use this model by bringing small groups together to build leadership skills and support each other’s career growth. This makes mentorship more accessible and consistent—so everyone can benefit, not just those with formal sponsors.

Lean In Circles are free and open to all employees, regardless of gender, role, or level. Many organizations run co-ed Circles, including Walmart, GSK, and NatWest.

Organizations use Circles in different ways depending on their goals:

Women’s leadership Circles
Some organizations bring women together to build leadership skills, support one another, and accelerate career advancement. For these groups, Lean In offers the Women at Work Collection, a leadership curriculum designed for rising women leaders.

Co-ed leadership Circles
Other organizations bring employees of all genders together to strengthen leadership skills and build more effective teams. These Circles often focus on topics such as inclusive leadership, empathetic management, and giving and receiving feedback.

Circles are especially valuable for high-potential employees and emerging leaders who want to grow their leadership capabilities while building a strong professional community.

Most Lean In Circles meet once a month for one hour.

Because Circles are employee-led and self-organizing, teams can adjust meeting frequency and format to fit their needs.

No. Circle Leaders do not need to be subject-matter or facilitation experts. Anyone can do this.

Lean In provides structured discussion guides, facilitation training, and ready-to-use lessons and meeting agendas, making it easy for employees at any level to lead meaningful conversations and support peer learning.

Lean In Circles are designed to scale across organizations of any size.

Each Circle typically includes 8–12 participants, and companies can launch as many Circles as they choose.

Some of Lean In’s largest partners — such as Walmart — host more than 1,000 Circles across their global workforce.

Yes. Lean In Circles can be launched anywhere in the world and across multiple offices or regions.

More than 150,000 Lean In Circles have been started in over 180 countries, and many organizations run Circles that connect employees across global teams.

Because Circles are employee-led and self-organizing, they can scale across functions, offices, and regions with relatively little centralized coordination.

Many organizations also use virtual Circles to connect employees across geographies, helping build relationships and leadership networks across global teams.

Companies can get started quickly and easily with Lean In’s free, ready-to-use program resources, available here.

We provide everything you need — educational materials, discussion guides, Circle Leader training, and more — to support a successful rollout and long-term program success.

No. Lean In Circles can succeed with or without formal senior leadership involvement.

However, when senior leadership supports the program, it can significantly increase participation and impact. Many companies ask a senior executive to serve as a program advocate, encouraging employees to join Circles.

Leaders may also participate by:

• Mentoring Circles
• Meeting with Circle members
• Joining Circle discussions

Participating in a Circle allows leaders to mentor at scale, connecting with multiple employees in one session rather than meeting individually with each person.

Many successful Circles programs grow through grassroots employee leadership and peer learning.

Yes. Companies can tailor their rollout strategy and select learning tracks that align with organizational priorities.

The core curriculum is research-backed and structured, and many organizations integrate Circles into existing leadership development, talent, or inclusion programs.

Lean In provides everything you need for free. We provide ready-to-use materials, leadership training resources, and ongoing support.

All Lean In Circle resources are available in English.

Some content—including the Women at Work leadership series—is also available in French, German, Spanish, and Arabic.

Lean In is open to partnering with organizations interested in translating into additional languages to support global teams.

Lean In Circles complement employee resource groups (ERGs) by focusing specifically on leadership development and peer learning.

Many organizations run Lean In Circles within or alongside ERGs to help members develop leadership skills while building community.