Our lives as founders, are filled with challenges, dilemmas, stresses, and hard-won lessons. If you would like to have a group of trusted MIT Alums to serve as a personal board of directors or brain trust,
MITAS Circles are groups of 7-10 MIT Alums in similar career or life stages who meet regularly to help one another grow professionally and personally. Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Reflect on questions and ideas with a smart and thoughtful group of fellow MIT alums—outside of existing social and professional circles
- Get unbiased advice on difficult topics from a group focused on providing mutual support
- Form long-lasting connections with a trusted and respected group of peers
This initiative requires participants to commit to 1-hour, virtual meetups every two weeks over a six-month period (meetup schedules TBD based on participants’ availabilities).
Interested in joining a Circle? Please fill out this form by Friday, March 31st 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
- MITAS Circles aims to help us navigate our careers, professional growth, and personal lives by sharing and receiving advice and perspectives from our very own personal board of directors composed of trusted like-minded peer-friends-founders.
- MIT Circles is based on concepts like True North Groups and YPO. Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic who grew the company from $1B to $60B and pioneered the concept of True North Groups, has said that his True North Group has helped him to “become more self-aware and open [and] take risks with significant challenges.”
- Many successful individuals have found participation in similar groups to be some of the most impactful and rewarding experiences of their lives.
MITAS Circles will provide you with the opportunity to:
- Reflect on questions and ideas with a smart and thoughtful group of fellow MIT alums - outside of existing social circles
- Get unbiased advice on difficult topics from a group focused on providing mutual support
- Form long-lasting connections with a trusted and respected group of peers with whom you have had meaningful discussions over the course of months
Members
Each group will include 7-10 MIT Alums in similar career and life stages. We will try to diversify each group’s composition where it makes sense.
We intend to make MITAS Circles diverse to enable a more interesting experience for everyone. As a part of that, we encourage all kinds of professions and backgrounds to apply.
Leads will be selected first and foremost based on their willingness to accept the responsibilities and invest the additional time and effort that is needed to be an effective Lead. If you express interest in being a Lead, the program administrators will reach out with more information.
Meetings
During group meetings, participants will take turns sharing a personal or professional experience or challenge, which the other members of the circle will respond to with questions, advice, and their own reflections. The group may also choose a specific theme to focus on and have a participant present on a relevant situation to set up the discussion. We will provide reference content and suggestions to help the group shape the style that works best for its members.
Meeting structure and topics of discussion vary greatly from group to group, but they can include any issues facing us these days, such as:
- Communication (e.g. for different scenarios and audiences, speaking up, conflict resolution, negotiation)
- Organizational dynamics (e.g. cross-functional navigation, influence, managing up, unconscious bias)
- People management (e.g. coaching, motivation, hiring, performance management)
- Professional development (e.g. executive presence, personal brand, imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence)
- Business challenges (e.g. strategy, decision-making, business acumen)
- Personal challenges (e.g. work/family balance, burnout, self-care, relationships)
- Expand network (e.g. connect with other MIT alums)
Given the current situation, it is recommended that Circles conduct their meetings virtually (e.g., via Zoom or Google Meet). In the future, this may change, as in-person meetings confer significant advantages in terms of immediacy, focus, etc. amongst participants.
- Initial meeting: For the first 2-3 sessions, it is recommended that the group meet weekly for one hour each time (or have 1 extended session). This will enable the group members to get to know one another and build the trust foundations to get things going.
- Ongoing meetings: Thereafter, the group will determine specific meeting dates and times, with the recommendation being bi-weekly meetings of one hour each. Exact timing/dates will be based on the group members' availabilities, but consistent attendance is required. This will enable the group to build deep relationships and drive meaningful discussions.
- Timeline: Circles groups will run for about six-month, after which each group will decide whether it wants to continue meeting or reshuffle with other groups.
- Maintaining continuity: Canceling a meeting can and most probably will have a negative effect on the members’ ability to reconnect. In general, it is advised to go through with a planned meeting as long as at least 50% of the group is present.
- Initial meeting: For the first 2-3 sessions, it is recommended that the group meet weekly for one hour each time (or have 1 extended session). This will enable the group members to get to know one another and build the trust foundations to get things going.
- Ongoing meetings: Thereafter, the group will determine specific meeting dates and times, with the recommendation being bi-weekly meetings of one hour each. Exact timing/dates will be based on the group members' availabilities, but consistent attendance is required. This will enable the group to build deep relationships and drive meaningful discussions.
- Timeline: Circles groups will run for about six-month, after which each group will decide whether it wants to continue meeting or reshuffle with other groups.
- Maintaining continuity: Canceling a meeting can and most probably will have a negative effect on the members’ ability to reconnect. In general, it is advised to go through with a planned meeting as long as at least 50% of the group is present.
Consistent attendance is expected of all MITAS Circles participants in order to maximize the value for participants. If you need to miss a session, please inform your Circle as soon as possible. Circle Leads will be asked to reach out to participants that miss more than 1 session out of the first few (or tend to be late / leave early) and those participants may be removed from the Circle at the program administrators’ discretion.
Requirements
Participants are expected to join for all sessions barring extenuating circumstances - this ensures a sense of mutual respect and support. After all, the value of MITAS Circles is driven by active engagement and participation, so showing up consistently is a key to success.
Yes, participants are expected to respect a set of norms that include the following:
- Confidentiality: Avoid sharing any information or observations shared during meetings with non-members, whether colleagues, partners, spouses or friends. This helps to ensure that participants can share openly and honestly and that information is not provided out of context or in a way that might make the sharer uncomfortable about sharing again in the future.
- Openness: Commit to being as open as possible about personal matters with members of the group, with the understanding that everything will be held in strictest confidence. However, please be respectful about not pushing other participants to share beyond their comfort zone on personally sensitive matters.
- Trust: Join your Circle with the assumption that its members are worthy of trust. Understand that trust is built through honest, open communications and caring for other members of the group.
- Full Attention: Commit to practicing active listening and to avoiding interrupting others while they are speaking.
- Withholding Judgement: Commit to withholding judgement of group members and avoid giving unsolicited advice. Try not to impose your values and beliefs on other members.
- Feedback: Seek to offer and receive constructive feedback from others in the group on ideas, behavior, leadership traits, and communications styles.
- Attendance: Make every effort to attend all meetings scheduled for the group, to be on time, and to not leave early unless there are extenuating circumstances.
There is no program participation fee, but participation does require that you are an MIT alumni founder.
All alumni of MIT, who are building or considering building a company.
Miscellaneous
Yes, once Circles are in motion, they will run together until the end of the cohort. Oftentimes, some of the most interesting conversations for Circles arise in the context of inflection points / transitions that participants are making.
We will admit applicants based on their expressed commitment to the program and our ability to match them with a Circle that matches their interests. We cannot guarantee everyone's participation.
-
Milestone
Date
-
Application survey submission deadline
Monday, 02/21/2022
-
Circle formation
Tuesday 03/31/2022
-
Circles kickoffs
(specific dates TBD by each Circle)
-
Circles wrap-up
Saturday, 9/24/2022
-
Please let us know after your first Circle if you fear that background/prior history with someone from your circle will make you feel uncomfortable sharing challenges openly and honestly. The program administrators will make best efforts to address these situations appropriately and on a case-by-case basis.
Prospective Leads
- MITAS Circles aims to help us navigate our careers, professional growth, and personal lives by sharing and receiving advice and perspectives from our very own personal board of directors composed of trusted like-minded peer-friends-founders.
- MIT Circles is based on concepts like True North Groups and YPO. Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic who grew the company from $1B to $60B and pioneered the concept of True North Groups, has said that his True North Group has helped him to “become more self-aware and open [and] take risks with significant challenges.”
- Many successful individuals have found participation in similar groups to be some of the most impactful and rewarding experiences of their lives.
MITAS Circles will provide you with the opportunity to:
- Reflect on questions and ideas with a smart and thoughtful group of fellow MIT alums - outside of existing social circles
- Get unbiased advice on difficult topics from a group focused on providing mutual support
- Form long-lasting connections with a trusted and respected group of peers with whom you have had meaningful discussions over the course of months
Each group will include 7-10 MIT Alums in similar career and life stages. We will try to diversify each group’s composition where it makes sense.
We intend to make MITAS Circles diverse to enable a more interesting experience for everyone. As a part of that, we encourage all kinds of professions and backgrounds to apply.
Leads will be selected first and foremost based on their willingness to accept the responsibilities and invest the additional time and effort that is needed to be an effective Lead. If you express interest in being a Lead, the program administrators will reach out with more information.
During group meetings, participants will take turns sharing a personal or professional experience or challenge, which the other members of the circle will respond to with questions, advice, and their own reflections. The group may also choose a specific theme to focus on and have a participant present on a relevant situation to set up the discussion. We will provide reference content and suggestions to help the group shape the style that works best for its members.
Meeting structure and topics of discussion vary greatly from group to group, but they can include any issues facing us these days, such as:
- Communication (e.g. for different scenarios and audiences, speaking up, conflict resolution, negotiation)
- Organizational dynamics (e.g. cross-functional navigation, influence, managing up, unconscious bias)
- People management (e.g. coaching, motivation, hiring, performance management)
- Professional development (e.g. executive presence, personal brand, imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence)
- Business challenges (e.g. strategy, decision-making, business acumen)
- Personal challenges (e.g. work/family balance, burnout, self-care, relationships)
- Expand network (e.g. connect with other MIT alums)
Given the current situation, it is recommended that Circles conduct their meetings virtually (e.g., via Zoom or Google Meet). In the future, this may change, as in-person meetings confer significant advantages in terms of immediacy, focus, etc. amongst participants.
- Initial meeting: For the first 2-3 sessions, it is recommended that the group meet weekly for one hour each time (or have 1 extended session). This will enable the group members to get to know one another and build the trust foundations to get things going.
- Ongoing meetings: Thereafter, the group will determine specific meeting dates and times, with the recommendation being bi-weekly meetings of one hour each. Exact timing/dates will be based on the group members' availabilities, but consistent attendance is required. This will enable the group to build deep relationships and drive meaningful discussions.
- Timeline: Circles groups will run for about six-month, after which each group will decide whether it wants to continue meeting or reshuffle with other groups.
- Maintaining continuity: Canceling a meeting can and most probably will have a negative effect on the members’ ability to reconnect. In general, it is advised to go through with a planned meeting as long as at least 50% of the group is present.
- Initial meeting: For the first 2-3 sessions, it is recommended that the group meet weekly for one hour each time (or have 1 extended session). This will enable the group members to get to know one another and build the trust foundations to get things going.
- Ongoing meetings: Thereafter, the group will determine specific meeting dates and times, with the recommendation being bi-weekly meetings of one hour each. Exact timing/dates will be based on the group members' availabilities, but consistent attendance is required. This will enable the group to build deep relationships and drive meaningful discussions.
- Timeline: Circles groups will run for about six-month, after which each group will decide whether it wants to continue meeting or reshuffle with other groups.
- Maintaining continuity: Canceling a meeting can and most probably will have a negative effect on the members’ ability to reconnect. In general, it is advised to go through with a planned meeting as long as at least 50% of the group is present.
Consistent attendance is expected of all MITAS Circles participants in order to maximize the value for participants. If you need to miss a session, please inform your Circle as soon as possible. Circle Leads will be asked to reach out to participants that miss more than 1 session out of the first few (or tend to be late / leave early) and those participants may be removed from the Circle at the program administrators’ discretion.
Participants are expected to join for all sessions barring extenuating circumstances - this ensures a sense of mutual respect and support. After all, the value of MITAS Circles is driven by active engagement and participation, so showing up consistently is a key to success.
Yes, participants are expected to respect a set of norms that include the following:
- Confidentiality: Avoid sharing any information or observations shared during meetings with non-members, whether colleagues, partners, spouses or friends. This helps to ensure that participants can share openly and honestly and that information is not provided out of context or in a way that might make the sharer uncomfortable about sharing again in the future.
- Openness: Commit to being as open as possible about personal matters with members of the group, with the understanding that everything will be held in strictest confidence. However, please be respectful about not pushing other participants to share beyond their comfort zone on personally sensitive matters.
- Trust: Join your Circle with the assumption that its members are worthy of trust. Understand that trust is built through honest, open communications and caring for other members of the group.
- Full Attention: Commit to practicing active listening and to avoiding interrupting others while they are speaking.
- Withholding Judgement: Commit to withholding judgement of group members and avoid giving unsolicited advice. Try not to impose your values and beliefs on other members.
- Feedback: Seek to offer and receive constructive feedback from others in the group on ideas, behavior, leadership traits, and communications styles.
- Attendance: Make every effort to attend all meetings scheduled for the group, to be on time, and to not leave early unless there are extenuating circumstances.
There is no program participation fee, but participation does require that you are an MIT alumni founder.
All alumni of MIT, who are building or considering building a company.
Yes, once Circles are in motion, they will run together until the end of the cohort. Oftentimes, some of the most interesting conversations for Circles arise in the context of inflection points / transitions that participants are making.
We will admit applicants based on their expressed commitment to the program and our ability to match them with a Circle that matches their interests. We cannot guarantee everyone's participation.
- Milestone Date
- Application survey submission deadline Monday, 02/21/2022
- Circle formation Tuesday 03/31/2022
- Circles kickoffs (specific dates TBD by each Circle)
- Circles wrap-up Saturday, 9/24/2022
Please let us know after your first Circle if you fear that background/prior history with someone from your circle will make you feel uncomfortable sharing challenges openly and honestly. The program administrators will make best efforts to address these situations appropriately and on a case-by-case basis.
One member of each Circle will be a Circle Lead, an important role that requires additional time and effort but also provides additional meaningful opportunities to enable the success of your Circle.
Circle Leads will receive:
- Special trainings and coaching from expert facilitators
- Support from other Leads via regular syncs (in addition to regular Circles meetings) and other channels
- Suggested session agenda, content templates, and other materials
Circle Leads will have opportunities to:
- Create a small community of meaningful personal and professional relationships, both with the group you lead and other Circle leaders
- Instill communication and facilitation habits that are useful in everyday life through moderation training and expert support from a professional facilitator
- Give back by cultivating a learning, inclusive, and connected MIT community
Leads are Circle members first and foremost - we expect the experience to be every bit as rewarding for a Lead as for a non-Lead participant (perhaps even more rewarding!). However, Leads do take on additional responsibilities to help ensure that their Circles run smoothly and effectively.
- Kick-off the group: Schedule the first few sessions.
- Facilitate the meetings: During meetings, Leads are expected to help the group bond, align on goals/regular schedule/norms, and stay on track. That being said, there are no strict requirements on curriculum to cover and over time we expect facilitation needs to become minimal. Circles operate on a voluntary, collaborative model where everyone is expected to pitch in to support the group’s activities. We will also provide the needed guidance and content to support the Leads.
- Be the liaison: Be the person in charge for communications with the broader program
Below is the same timeline from above with the Lead-specific milestones added in bold.
- Milestone Date
- Application survey submission deadline Monday, 02/21/2022
- Lead selection Monday, 02/28/2022
- Circle formation Thursday, 03/31/2022
- Lead training During the week beginning Monday, 03/21/2022 (specific dates TBD)
- Circles wrap-up Saturday, 9/24/2022
- Training workshop: 2 hours
- Coordination prior to first few meetings: 30-60 minutes per week
- Additional intermediate Leads meetings: Optional check-ins with other Circle leads
Once we confirm your ability to lead a group, we will share with you the details of your group to ensure its composition makes sense to you.
The program administrators will make every effort to create MITAS Circles that will have the potential for positive group dynamics, so we will not reshuffle people unless there is a very good reason to do so. Please reach out to us if you think there is a very good reason to reshuffle the group and we can discuss.
To maintain fairness, please do not unilaterally add people to your MITAS Circle. If you have questions about this, please contact the program administrators.
Please reach out to the person and ask them to provide some context and request a firm commitment that they will attend future meetings. If they continue to fail in meeting the attendance expectations, please let the program administrators know and we will let them know that they will be removed from the group to preserve the group norms and improve group dynamics.
