The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging

by Charles H. Vogl

This practical leadership guide offers seven timeless principles for building a supportive and inclusive community with a strong sense of purpose.Many people think of “community” as something that happens by accident or emerges naturally over time. But in The Art of Community, Charles Vogl shows that there are specific principles that leaders can use to create or strengthen communities. Drawing on three thousand years of tradition, Vogl lays out the seven enduring principles that every community of every kind—whether formal or informal—must master to be effective.Vogl describes the purpose of each principle and offers extensive hands-on tools for implementing them. He also shares ways to help communities remain healthy and life-affirming by avoiding toxic rigidity and exclusivity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Self Help, Sociology, Leadership, Psychology, Audiobook

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2016

Reviews

[Kony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great food for thought. However, I found the most value not in the meat of the book -- where the author breaks down seven "principles" or hallmarks of a community -- but rather in the storytelling portions of his introduction and appendix, where he describes how he struggled to fit in throughout most of his life and then, in graduate school, learned to build a new community from scratch by hosting weekly dinners in his home. His discussion of "principles" is sensible and includes helpful modern-day examples, but it's a bit theoretical and academic, and just not as illuminative as his real-life experience. If I were the author's editor, I'd ask him to put the theoretical stuff in the appendix, and shift his weekly dinner narrative from book's margins to its core.

[William Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting past how religion focused this book is. The author by no means preaches or converts but the lens through which everything is taught is very much that of someone who is deeply involved with some religious affiliation.

The most valuable lesson (still taught through a religious lens) is that of novice community members being concerned about their gains and the most experienced caring about the world as a whole. This is largely explained through a rather lengthy summarization of the film The Karate Kid.

Overall the content is far from bad, but there are definitely more in depth and strategic books available.

[Vivian Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always appreciate when someone is able to distill an amorphous idea into component parts and this book does that pretty well.
My main take away was to work on letting go of the "everyone is welcome" attitude. As young children we are taught to include everyone and that only snobbish or stuck up jerks keep people out of their group. Welllll, this actually isn't true. To create a community where people are supported and feel safe and valued, there must be a selection process or definition of "us". Otherwise your community is just the whole world. The question is- what values or criteria will you use to create your group?

[Jilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author presents some very interesting ideas, which tell the importance of rituals, symbols and gatekeeping. These ideas are illustrated with real-life examples, which are both grand as well as personal to the author. The middle section of the book slows down dramatically in order to present scripts for aspiring community leaders, which is a little too hands-on for my taste.

Overall would recommend the book, especially the introduction of the principles.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book, but the best parts are when the author tells the stories of actual creating communities, and not his 7 principles.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The value of this book comes from its simplicity. It does a good job of defining what does and does not constitute "a community" and what one should consider when creating or joining a community as a participant/member.

This was the first book I've read about the topic and I think it's a good introduction because of how general it is. As other reviewers have pointed out, there are other books (which I will read) that cover ideas in this book more comprehensively and from alternate angles.

The author's educational background is apparent in the content of the book, primarily because religious institutions are good examples of structured organizations that foster community, but that shouldn't deter the non-religious reader as there's plenty of good ideas in it to use for secular community-building.

[Michael Burnam-Fink · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Community offers a clear and efficient guideline of what a community is, how to build one, and what to watch out for. Vogl is an executive coach (sidenote: yuck), with a background in the Peace Corps, documentary filmmaker, organizer, Crossfit athlete, and has a Master's in Theology from Yale. In an era when so many people misuse community, this book is a strong baseline for what to do right.

Vogl's definition of community is "a group of people who share a mutual concern for one another's welfare". A community has shared values, a membership identity which help participants figure out who they are, how they should act, and what they believe. Communities are also defined by their boundaries, and have moral prescriptions as well as elders who can help mediate who is in and out.

Successful communities are marked by seven principles.
1. Boundaries separate members and non-members.
2. Initiation rites mark that someone has become a new remember
3. Rituals create shared meaning
4. The Temple is a place set aside to find community
5. Stories are shared to explain and translate values
6. Symbols mark ideas that matter
7. Inner rings provide a path to growth as a participant.

The book opens with a callback to C.S. Lewis's Inner Ring, the illusion that there is always a more private and prestigious group to join next, which drives both ambition and uncertainty. However, some level of hierarchy is useful beyond the smallest groups, and Vogl's framework of initiate, novice, member, senior member, elder, and principal elder, provide a useful guide from just learning about a community to serving as a pillar of it.

A further useful section distinguishes harmful inner looking cults from helpful member and world engaged community, and there are plenty of practical examples built around a dinner club that Vogl ran at Yale.

Obviously, community is easier said than done. Getting people to really commit to each other, to something, to deal with ambiguity and boredom and hypocrisy and all the other splinters in our lives, is very very hard. But it can be done, and this book is a good place to start.

[Oana Filip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I had big expectations from this book because I heard of it a couple of times from people who run communities in a way or another. If this was the first lecture in community building, I think the impact would have been different. Being one of the many books I came across since wearing the community builder hat (since 2011), the value I got is thinner. While I resonate with most of the author's general principles, I wanted so depth, going the extra mile if you wish.

I recommend it mostly for people in the early days of building a tribe, offline or online; it does not matter because most of the advice applies to both worlds.

[Sandy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read a lot of books on community, coming at it from a variety of perspectives, I found this book to be a good overview but didn’t particularly add to my own body of knowledge. That being said, if you haven’t done much study on community yet this might be a good place to start. It it, as I said, a good overview with some solid principles and “real-life” examples.

[Matthieu Cornillon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, I personally didn’t find this book very valuable, but that is due in large part to my expectations. I had hoped for more concrete guidance on how to create community. There is tons of detailed insight that describes characteristics of communities. However, I did not find this helpful in heading toward community. For example, it is very interesting to note the characteristics of temple (place) or token, but that doesn’t necessarily help me achieve community. Looking back on communities I’ve been part of or helped create, they've definitely had these elements; but these organically evolved from the community, not the other way around. Vogl—to his credit—does not make any claims that throwing these ingredients in a pot makes community. However, the result is a primarily descriptive book that I had expected/hoped would be a bit more prescriptive. My sense based on his wide experience and knowledge is that Vogl has much to offer in terms of his insights on how to build community; my only lament is that those insights did not come through in the book. It could be a matter of editing, adjusting levels of clear steps and questions to consider, or even just tweaking the title to set expectations that this is a detailed analysis of community characteristics, not a how-to guide.

All that said, if you do not come expecting a lot of clear guidance, you still may gain some guidance. Just the act of considering this descriptive survey of characteristics of communities may help you increase your awareness of some of the dynamics in your community.

I also want to highlight a bit of pure gold in the book. I heard Vogl speak years ago, and he told the story (also in the book) of the community dinners he helped create and the person whose life—he found out years later—was deeply touched by these events, even though he rarely attended. In his presentation, Vogl shared a key lesson from this on the power of invitation in creating a sense of belonging, even if the invitation is declined. I’ve brought that point up in my work several times in the years since. I’ll always be grateful to him for this fantastic insight.

[Jan Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book that is helpful, insightful and to the point. A book on community has to have both a grounded level of theory around community, as well as practical pointers and structures handed to give form. I think it balanced this really well, it gives practical pointers and on top of that is incredibly inspiring to contribute or even start a community on your own.

Charles writes with passion, precision and purpose about community, as someone who once felt like an outsider and was able to create a thriving dinner community at Yale. He balances religious and non-religious examples in a way that is appropriate around this topic, making it accessible to religious and non-religious community leaders. The online element was insightful, however here I would love to see an updated version of his work with elaboration on this topic, due to the pandemic and how much the world has transitioned to online community. As well, a was pleasantly surprised that a part was included on what a cult is and how to recognise and avoid in creating a community of that sort.

I will be returning to these ideas whenever I (will) get to lead a community or contribute. It's a useful framework for starting or improving a healthy community. Any community leader or future leader should read this work.

[Mitch Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s some good stuff in here. But it’s tinged by the fact that the author has latent (& self-admitted) imposter syndrome together with a fear he doesn’t belong. This leads to, in my opinion, a take on community that has a shadow side, that whilst well-meaning has too many ego-offset mechanisms to create truly good community. Too much emphasis on status and inner sanctums of specialness are examples of this. At its best it at least acknowledges digital communities and offers some thoughts about this. I thought some of his Christian background brought a useful emphasis on some of the more “nuanced” aspects of community like ritual. Still looking for a good book on community with sufficient relevance to my interest in digital communities.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book because it was succinct and yet seemed quite complete when it comes to group structures and dynamics. I thoroughly enjoyed that the author talks about communities in a general context that can be applied to many different group settings, be it hobby groups, neighbourhood groups, online communities as well as corporate teams.

Some examples are taken from religious communities, related to the author's background and experience, however he manages to draw general principles from this and by no means does it pose a problem to non-religious readers, at least not to me.

[Elena Astilleros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading about people being on a quest to make it into an inner circle, and there always being a more inner circle helped me see individuals I thought were elitist in a whole new way. I have a little more compassion for their strife, and also realized I needed to restructure work groups with the principles laid out here.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. By far the best book I've read for our office bookclub so far. Interesting way of looking at communities as intentionally built groups that goes far beyond the traditional understanding of communities. Interesting and I've already discussed some of the 7 principles in social contexts.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estava procurando livros que falassem sobre comunidade. Mas quando se procura por livros assim, a gente encontra, invariavelmente, algo sobre autoajuda ou relacionado com a religião cristã. Ou ainda, algo que soma as duas coisas, como é o caso deste livro. Levando em conta outros livros que li sobre este tema, este não exagera na autoajuda e nem na doutrinação cristã. Mas sim, ele é um livro estilo didático para que as pessoas construam ou mantenham uma comunidade. E isso está muito relacionado com as comunidades digitais da plataformização, algo ao qual o livro também atende. O achado mais interessante do livro são mesmo esses sete princípios que o autor, Charles Vogl, desenvolveu através de seus estudos e da sua experiência em criar e desenvolver relações comunitárias entre as pessoas, para criar, assim, a sensação de pertencimento tão em falta nos tempos contemporâneos.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Community book club for my child’s school, with a discussion on the content. Too many religious undertones but I’m taking away from it the importance of invitations.

[Jung]

In "The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging" by Charles H. Vogl, the author explores the timeless human need to belong and the challenges of building genuine communities in a modern age often marked by digital connection but emotional isolation. Many people know what it feels like to be outsiders, sitting in a room full of people yet still feeling unseen, misunderstood, or disconnected. Despite the proliferation of platforms meant to bring us together, the sense of loneliness continues to rise. Vogl’s book offers a structured framework for transforming groups into true communities, ones that go beyond transactional interactions to cultivate resilience, loyalty, and deep human connection. At its heart, the book argues that belonging is not accidental; it can be created by following principles that foster shared values, trust, and emotional safety.

In this book the author outlines seven key principles that help groups create a real sense of belonging, connection, and shared identity:

1. Boundary: Every community needs clear boundaries - who is inside and who is outside. This helps members know if they belong and what they are part of.
2. Initiation: New members need a way to cross the threshold into the community, whether through rituals, ceremonies, or shared experiences that mark their belonging.
3. Rituals: Communities thrive on repeated practices that reinforce values, strengthen bonds, and remind members of what the group stands for.
4. Temple: This refers to the space - physical or symbolic - where the community gathers. It becomes sacred because it hosts meaningful connection and memory.
5. Stories: Shared stories communicate the values, struggles, and triumphs of the community, passing culture from one generation to the next.
6. Symbols: Logos, clothing, gestures, or other visible markers create a shared identity and make membership recognizable.
7. Inner Rings: Communities often have smaller circles of intimacy within the larger group. These inner rings deepen loyalty and create pathways for stronger connection.

The first step in appreciating Vogl’s work is understanding what separates a community from a mere gathering of people. A group, no matter how large, does not necessarily become a community simply by existing. He illustrates this with the example of CrossFit, a fitness phenomenon that brings together millions across the world. While the larger network connects individuals through shared workouts and goals, real communities emerge in local gyms where members demonstrate care, welcome newcomers, and build bonds that extend beyond exercise routines. For Vogl, communities differ from ordinary groups because they rest on five foundational features: shared values that guide behavior, a strong sense of membership identity that helps people answer who they are, generosity without keeping score, moral prescriptions that establish what is acceptable and unacceptable conduct, and shared emotional languages that allow members to express feelings in ways outsiders may not understand. These elements transform a random group into something durable, supportive, and meaningful.

Boundaries play an essential role in this transformation. Without clear lines that distinguish insiders from outsiders, belonging loses its meaning. Vogl describes the example of a mothers’ group that intentionally restricts participation to mothers only, not fathers or caregivers, in order to preserve a safe and trusted space. Excluding people is not the point; rather, the goal is to establish clarity about who the group is meant to serve. Effective boundaries also allow for 'exploration zones,' where curious outsiders can experience the group without full commitment, giving them a taste of the community before deciding if it fits. Once someone chooses to cross the boundary, initiation becomes critical. Whether it’s a simple phone call, a letter of welcome, or a ceremonial gesture, initiation provides clarity and marks the passage from outsider to insider. Without it, new members can linger in uncertainty about whether they truly belong. Vogl also notes that many people encounter a crisis of belonging even after initiation, feeling unsure of their worth in the community. The antidote is simple: personal invitations. When members extend invitations, they affirm both their own belonging and that of the person invited, reinforcing mutual recognition.

Rituals are another central principle of Vogl’s framework. They create meaning by marking time and events as significant. From the daily serving of food at the Sikh Golden Temple to the whirling dances of Sufi mystics, rituals connect individuals to a sense of continuity and transcendence. Vogl outlines a clear structure for building effective rituals: an opening that shifts participants from ordinary to special time, a body that includes wisdom or participation, and a closing that affirms what has been achieved and signals a return to everyday life. Even simple gatherings, such as birthday celebrations, can become sacred and memorable when designed with intention. Rituals strengthen bonds, remind members why they are together, and provide emotional anchors that last long after the event ends.

Temples complement rituals by providing the sacred spaces where they unfold. A temple, in Vogl’s sense, need not be a grand building; it can be any space transformed through preparation and intention. Whether it is a Native American ritual site marked by wooden huts, a gym where CrossFit athletes gather, or even a backyard turned into a place of reflection, the sacredness arises from the values and activities of those who gather there. Communities often create multiple levels of temples, ranging from minor spaces for regular interaction to major spaces for large-scale events. These physical or symbolic spaces remind members that what they are part of is larger than themselves and worthy of respect.

Stories and symbols also shape communities by transmitting values and identity. Narratives - whether origin stories that explain how the group began or values stories that illustrate principles in action - help members and outsiders alike understand who the community is and what it stands for. For instance, the story of New Belgium Brewing employees giving up their bonuses to fund renewable energy demonstrates commitment to environmental values. Symbols, meanwhile, condense meaning into visual form. From the Marine Corps emblem to tokens given in ceremonies, symbols carry emotional weight, foster pride, and remind members of their belonging. The material value of tokens may be negligible, but their meaning becomes priceless when tied to initiation or achievement.

Another principle is the concept of inner rings, which acknowledges that people desire not only to belong but also to feel special within the community. Inner rings provide pathways for deeper involvement, maturity, and service. Drawing from examples such as Tibetan Buddhist progression from seeker to sage, Vogl shows how well-structured inner rings encourage personal growth without fostering unhealthy hierarchies. Ideally, as members move toward the center, their focus expands from personal gain to service for the larger whole. This growth pathway ensures communities are not stagnant but dynamic, offering opportunities for development both in skill and character. At the same time, Vogl emphasizes that not everyone must move inward. Some may find fulfillment at outer rings, but the important point is that communities offer a clear, challenging path for those who seek deeper connection.

In today’s world, online communities present unique challenges and opportunities. While technology allows people to gather across geography and scale, the lack of physical presence makes intimacy harder to achieve. Simple human cues like touch, tone, or body language are absent, and it often takes much longer to form close bonds online. Still, intentional design can overcome these limitations. Online groups succeed when they apply timeless community principles: establishing boundaries through membership requirements, initiating newcomers through welcoming rituals, celebrating achievements with public acknowledgment, and creating opportunities for live or in-person connection. Digital communities thrive most when they are not substitutes for real-world bonds but platforms that eventually foster face-to-face engagement. Even massive online groups like Twitch invest in live events because members crave human presence.

Perhaps the most important reminder in Vogl’s work is that communities are not always permanent. Some serve their purpose for a time and then dissolve, as film crews do after a project ends. This does not signal failure. The true measure of a community’s success is whether it transformed the lives of its members, gave them a sense of belonging, and helped them grow. Duration matters less than impact.

In conclusion, "The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging" by Charles H. Vogl provides a thoughtful, practical guide to building communities that matter. By grounding connection in boundaries, initiation, rituals, temples, stories, symbols, and inner rings, the book demonstrates how intentional design fosters belonging that is both profound and lasting. Whether online or in person, communities built on these principles offer people the chance not only to find each other but also to grow together, discovering that the deepest sense of belonging comes when we feel both accepted as we are and invited to contribute to something larger. The book ultimately reveals that the art of community is about transformation - turning isolation into belonging, strangers into companions, and fleeting groups into meaningful circles of care.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

We read this in a work-sponsored book club and to give you an idea of how that went: we sat pretty silently for ten minutes until someone finally said “did y’all have a really hard time trying to get through this” and then we spent the rest of the time talking about how ego-driven and cult-like this book was.

Vogl has a strange way of turning the concept of ‘making friends’ into something so vastly over-complicated, self-serving, ritualistic, and vaguely manipulative to the point where he has to dedicate a disclaimer chapter to clarify the difference between his tactics and cult tactics

He splits this book evenly into: stroking his ego, stroking the readers egos for being like him, talking down on (or telling you how to reject) people who are not like him, and name-dropping.

I actually left an organization years ago while I was working on my degree in Comparative Religious Studies focusing on cults and realizing that this organization was engaging in cult-like tactics. This book reminded me so much of what I was taught that I ended up finding my training material and comparing the 8 steps of that organizations “master plan” to Charles Vogl’s “7 principles” and they were almost identical

If you do read this book, literally just read the chapter titles and I promise you that’s all the info you need, the rest is just repetitive examples so the author can point out more cool people he knows.

[Paul]

I was asked to work on creating a campaign centered around loneliness and so I began to look up books on community to see if it cold help me frame the campaign. I guzzled Art of Community like a sailor during fleet week.

I love Charle's stories about how he found community and his step by step process of designing a community. I download his free worksheets from his webpage and worked through them all to design a campus club and it was well worth the effort.

If you care about designing a community that meets needs, gives structure and allows participants to clearly move about in that community, The Art of Community is a wonderful book.

[Zak Schmoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my never ending quest to study the development of community, I came across this book. It can be applied in both secular and religious contexts, and the author draws examples from both. The most striking thing I took from this book is that community is not hard to build. All it takes to begin a community is a group of people who care about each other's well-being. Of course communities grow and evolve from there, but often times the overcomplicate what we need to start a new community. All it takes is an investment in each other to begin that process. This is a valuable book that I would certainly recommend.

[David Cuen]

This is a book that could have been a few blog posts but ended up being repetitive and really short. The author is clearly passionate about building real life communities and tries to develop a framework to organise things that are natural steps in social gatherings. That said, it is very light, fully of personal examples and not something that will stay with me.

[Peter Poutiatine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent short read on the characteristics of strong communities of all kinds. In a way, it is a reverse engineering of community building. Vogl deconstructs everything from clubs to cults to large organizations. Apt, pithy, and illuminating.

[Roxann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting points, but the insistence that the reader is going to apply this knowledge to be a (better) community leader feels like a PowerPoint presentation at an assistant managers' conference.

[Boaz Maor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short book that provides a very good intro to Community Management, but leaves a taste for more / feeling of being very basic, almost like there should be another 5 chapters of going deeper into this topic…

[Kayli Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good reminders and nuggets in here about community. Mostly intended for people starting a community from scratch with no background for previous community culture. Creative examples and case studies help flesh out the central themes.

[Nabil · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to start your own religion, these are the 7 steps to make it happen.

[divsmath · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good ideas. Content could’ve been condensed into an essay though.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book on the principles for creating a sense of belonging in the modern day; organised friendships if you will. The book is not as much about community development etc.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Art of Building Community, Vogl lays out what it takes to make a successful community. He notes that a community "might look successful on the outside….[with] lots of members, events and funding. But communities that look strong and healthy are sometimes poorly organised. Many do not have a clear vision about what they do or where they're headed. They don't know how to make their activities more sophisticated, effective or rewarding. They may not know how to connect newer members in a meaningful way with current members. And they may have trouble finding the right prospective members and helping them get involved".

Vogl defines a community as "a group of individuals who share a mutual concern for one another's welfare". This makes it distinct from a group of individuals connected by shared ideas, interests, proximity etc but who lack concern for one another (e.g. museum members, the Goodreads "community"). Communities are therefore bound not only by shared values and shared identity, but also by shared connections and moral proscriptions on how members should behave and treat others. Understanding what the core values of the community are is important, because only then can you figure out what initiatives might resonate with members and help to grow and strengthen the community. Vogl cites the example of a company running an online community. If they were to start a programme to help gamers improve their skills, this might be a wasted investment if the community's core value is connecting gamers with one another. The converse is true.

Vogl lays out 7 principles to help grow and strengthen communities.

#1: Boundary: There has to be a recognised demarcation between insiders (members) and outsiders to make insiders feel safe and "confident that they share values and that they understand one another better than outsiders". This boundary must be regulated and maintained, whether by a formal or informal authority, based on the community's values. Gatekeepers are important for helping visitors across the boundary, giving them access to the community and explore whether there is a good fit.

#2: Initiation: The initiation is an activity that provides official recognition and welcome into the community. It helps members understand clearly who is part of the community and can be as simple as a telephone call or providing a badge, to elaborate processions and dances.

#3: Rituals: Rituals are practices that make a time or event as special or important; they are tools to bring meaning into our lives. Think family rituals or rites of passage, for instance. We can create new rituals for our community that reflect our current time and context. Vogl outlines the foundational form elements of a ritual: Opening (welcome, intention, reference a tradition, explain events and instructions); Body (share wisdom and invite participation); Closing (acknowledgement and sending)

#4: Temple: A temple is a place where people with shared values enact their community's rituals. Places of worship are clear examples but a CrossFit gym could also be regarded as minor temples. But we can create temporary sacred spaces by establishing spatial boundaries, inviting people important to the ritual into the space, wearing special clothing to the temple, creating specific lighting to draw attention to areas where it is wanted; raising up objects/people that are important, etc.

#5: Stories: Stories are how members, future members and outsiders learn the values and the value of the community. These include origin stories, stories about how the community's values are expressed and how they affect people, personal stories and vulnerable stories to build connection and trust.

#6: Symbols: By quickly reminding us of our community's values, identity and commitment, symbols are powerful tools in building community. We can offer tokens (a kind of symbol given to a person as a keepsake to remember an idea, event or set of values) to remind people of their belonging to a community. We increase the power of tokens through intention (telling the receiver why we are giving it to them); symbolism (explaining what it represents); connecting to the future (explaining how you hope it will support, change or serve them).

#7: Inner Rings: Vogl describes the journey from the periphery of a community to its inner rings as such: visitors - novices - members - elders or senior members - principal elders and skilled masters. Vogl warns that "the endless striving for the next ring can be a dangerous trap. In mature and formal communities, there is a much more satisfying and healthy way to relate to inner rings. Mature and strong communities create different levels of inner rings that members can enter (not to be superior snobs but to serve differently). At each level, members gain some benefits related to their maturation or formation.

Vogl notes that "strong communities offer a progression into successive inner rings. While some members may choose to stay at a particular level, mature communities provide opportunities to progress in their series of inner rings. In the best examples, the progression reflects a journey of growth or maturation….One type of growth can simply be a level of skill or competitive achievement…Evaluating improving skill is one way to evaluate the journey across levels. But skill improvement….is a superficial measure that may usefully organise a group, but not a community. The most powerful journey reflects "maturation" of growing concern for others…The irony is that the smaller and the more exclusive the ring to which we belong, the broader our concern for others." So while a visitor or novice is primarily concerns about their individual self, whether they are having a fun or meaningful time, whether they are securing personal legitimacy, the principal elder may be seeking to help the community fit within and serve the larger community it sits within. Vogl adds that mature and strong communities offer opportunities for external and internal growth.

A useful read for anyone interested in community-building work.