Alliance for Catholic Education
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17)
Cultivating community in both personal and professional settings can prove to be a daunting task. As Catholics, Christ compels us to be intentional about the ways in which we interact with others and to “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). However, I often find myself separating intentional relationships from productive work. Sure, I’ve treated past coworkers and classmates with dignity and respect and continually try my best to live out my calling as a faithful servant of God; yet, attaining professional success always felt superior to cultivating a work community. Until now.
When I received the details of my Frassati Internship experience, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t hesitant about working, living, and navigating the city of Chicago with five people I hardly knew. I went into the summer thinking it would be spent sharpening my professional skills and focusing on resume development. Little did I know that my summer would actually consist of late night kitchen table chats, home cooked Sunday dinners, grocery shopping adventures, countless cooking lessons, daily mass at the Archdiocese of Chicago, heated Euchre tournaments, endless amounts of laughter, and a newfound perspective.
Slowly, my coworkers became less like random people I shared an office with and more like friends that I had the privilege of sharing life with. This transition, while refreshing, both puzzled and frightened me. I tried to push against the transition, fearing my newfound friendships would decrease my professional productivity. In reality, the opposite occurred.
In The Cultural Code, Daniel Coyle writes, “Group performance depends on behavior that communicates one powerful overarching idea: We are safe and connected.” Essentially, the productivity of a workplace is directly correlated with the perceived safety coworkers feel within the group. Often, the professional world coerces us into believing that individual characteristics of each group member determines the performance of any given company; I certainly once thought this. Yet, Coyle finds that, “It’s possible to predict [group] performance by ignoring all the informational content in the [group] exchange and focusing on a handful of belonging cues.” These belonging cues, the subtle actions that indicate psychological safety, may appear at first glance to be inconsequential in terms of company productivity. However, if my experience in Chicago has shown me anything, it is that belonging and safety are the prerequisites to professional success. Without them, success is unattainable.
Having grown up in rural South Dakota, the shift to big city life could have easily been overwhelming. However, I cannot recall a time in my life where I have ever felt the level of safety I felt this summer in Chicago. Whether we were on the train, in the apartment, at the office, or running around Millenium Park, I never doubted that, when I was with my friends, I was safe. I attribute this entirely to my community. Through their compassion, respect, and faith, they have become, for me, a living example of iron sharpening iron. Additionally, this perceived safety allotted me the ability to flourish in my professional, personal, and spiritual life.
Professionally, I was able to learn from my coworkers and obtain skills that I might never have had if I did not feel comfortable asking questions. As we collaborated on various projects, our community was able to help each other develop and the Archdiocese of Chicago reach its goals.
Personally, I gained five new friendships that I am so incredibly grateful for; these friendships have provided me with a level of trust that I seek to cultivate in other relationships moving forward. Additionally, I have gained a plethora of new skills, including, but not limited to poker, black jack, golf, and stock market investing. All jokes aside, I am forever indebted to my community for the memories we have shared together.
Spiritually, I have grown in both my individual relationship with Christ and in my ability to generate faith-filled conversations with those around me. I marvel at the ways in which my housemates talk about their lives within the context of God’s greater plan for each of them and will seek to model this moving forward.
Mason, Brendan, Ella, Stephen, and Isaiah, thanks for being my iron this summer. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17)