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Concentric Circles of Trust

Three-tier information classification for managing what new members learn and when
SENSITIVE OPERATIONAL PUBLIC Trust builds through shared experience

Outer Circle — Public

What new people learn first. Your group exists, you care about your community, you meet regularly. This is what you'd tell a neighbor who asked.

Middle Circle — Operational

Shared after trust develops. When and where you meet, what you're working on, how you make decisions. This is what members need to participate.

Inner Circle — Sensitive

Earned through sustained relationship. Security practices, internal disagreements, specific concerns that brought each person here. This is what you protect.

Onboarding Sequence

  1. Vouching — Existing member takes personal responsibility for the introduction.
  2. One-to-one — Conversation, not interview. Who are you? What do you care about?
  3. Document review — Purpose statement, ground rules, security agreements.
  4. First meeting — Participate and observe the format working.
  5. Shared activity — Low-stakes contribution: attend an event, share a meal, help with a small project.
  6. Full membership — Group debriefs on how onboarding went and what agreements need updating.
New members start at the outer circle. They move inward through shared experience, not through disclosure on a timeline. The pace is relational.
From The Narrow Path, Chapter 22