The Importance of Community

It has been said that learning is an internal process — a process that takes place professionally and socially within a community (Bryan and Carpenter, p. 47). What is a community? A community can be defined as a geographic location. But it can also be defined as a social community: friends, churches, clubs, home school co-ops, charities, educational institutions, etc. 

Image courtesy of Kimson Doan, unsplash.com.

Our community reflects who we are - our values, what we stand for, and what we believe in (Bryan and Carpenter, p. 58). Our community also shapes who we are and who we are becoming, because thankfully, the Lord’s good work is not yet complete (English Standard Version, Philippians 1:6). Our community is there for us when we need them; helping us through the hard times and rejoicing with us in the good times. Our community helps us raise our children, exchanging parenting advice and discussing the latest disciplinary tactics for the current age and stage. Our community brings us a meal when cooking is the last thing on our minds. Our community is an extension of our family - the family that we choose. Have you ever heard ‘it takes a village’? Well, I don’t know where I would be without my village.

When seeking a mentor, it’s essential to consider your community and carefully choose a mentor who shares the same values and beliefs that are important to you. This type of bond will strengthen your connection and help form a mutual trust that can ultimately determine the success of the relationship (DuBois, p. 31). 

When a mentoring relationship is formed, it can provide a range of positive outcomes, including social and emotional improvements, cognitive improvements, and even help both parties develop their identity and purpose. However, it’s important to realize that these benefits are only as strong as the bond the mentor and mentee have worked so hard to build (DuBois, p. 31). 

Mentoring is a dynamic process. We’ve talked about several processes over the last few months, and no single model can be applied to all mentoring relationships. Mentors are influenced by their own experiences, so if they received a specific style of mentoring in the past, they will likely carry this style over into their mentoring relationships (Bryan and Carpenter, p. 52). This can be both a good and a bad thing.

Mentoring provides accountability, a very important aspect of life that everyone desperately needs (Thomas, p. 52-53). In addition to accountability, mentors provide constructive criticism and opportunities for mentees to expand their networks. Terrice Thomas, author of “Mentor Coaching: Effective Mentoring for the Personal and Professional Development of Young Adults,” defines the term “networking” as the cultivation of relationships for employment or business (Thomas, p. 56). Mentors can help young adults see the wisdom in expanding their network to include people from all walks of life. 

---

Pro tip: The executive assistant is

just as valuable as the CEO.

(Thomas, p. 58)

---

Networking is important for both the mentor and the mentee, helping to provide more social capital for both parties. John C. Maxwell said, “Good leadership isn’t about advancing yourself. It’s about advancing your team” (Thomas, p. 43).

Mentoring relationships provide someone to talk to, ask questions, and stretch our ideas about who we are and who we want to become, and allow us to gain professional insight (Kaplan, Lawson, and McCrady, p. 43). Mentees can find comfort in the fact that they are not alone in their struggles, and they have someone who can help them make clear decisions and navigate personal and professional circumstances. 

Gratitude, learning, and privilege are three terms that are often expressed when a mentor or mentee discusses their mentoring experience. The need to learn and the need to help people learn are human (Kaplan and colleagues, p. 1). Mentoring relationships have incredible power. They can change lives (Thomas, p. 16). 

Having a community is the key to growth, pushing the mentor and the mentee to do and be better, all while letting them know they are not alone (Thomas, p. 46). What does your community look like? I would love to hear how your community has helped you! 

Join me next month as we shift gears and talk about my favorite aspect of graphic design - typography! Have you ever heard of “a hole?” I bet it’s not the kind you’re thinking of. If you have a topic you would like covered or have a question about a project you’re working on, drop me a line. I would love to chat!

Bryan, Hazel, and Chris Carpenter. “Mentoring: A Practice Developed in Community?” Journal of In-Service Education, vol. 34, no.1, 2008, pp. 47-59. ERIC, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ811514. PDF download.

The ESV Bible. Crossway, 2001.

DuBois, David L., and Michael J. Karcher. Handbook of Youth Mentoring. E-book ed., SAGE Publications, 2005.

Thomas, Terrice. Mentor Coaching: Effective Mentoring For The Personal And Professional Development of Young Adults. E-book ed., New Degree Press, 2021.

Kaplan, Marilyn, et al. “The Hero Viewpoint and the Perception of Mentors: Why Millennials Need Mentors and Why They Have Problems Finding Them.” Academy of Business Research Journal 2, 2018, pp. 36-52. ProQuest Central. PDF download.