How does a peer circle actually work in practice?

Kris Kluver, in The Dysfunctional Family Office, lays out the format directly. Each session starts with members sharing their top and bottom 5 percent. From the check-in, the group identifies the topics for discussion and who will be in the hot seat. The hot seat is the member working through a current challenge with the group. They define what success looks like for the conversation. They dig into root causes. The group then provides experience sharing only, no advice. Members offer what they actually felt and did when they faced something similar. What worked. What didn't. What they would do differently. The hot-seat member listens, takes notes, asks clarifying questions, and chooses an action item by the end. The action item is documented. The group helps with accountability at the next session. The format is structured by design. The structure is what makes the trust possible.