The Formation of a Leader Through Experience Over Time: Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Light of Contemporary Systems Theories

Marija Šimenc

The Formation of a Leader Through Experience Over Time: Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Light of Contemporary Systems Theories

DOI: 10.62983/rn2865.25b.5

Keywords: Ss. Cyril and Methodius, motivation, lifelong development, church leadership, Slovenia

Abstract:
This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach to linking the concept of servant leadership with the life and mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius. In the quantitative phase (N = 186), an online survey indicates a high degree of internalization of altruistic values among Slovenian church leaders, alongside a slight discrepancy that diminishes with increasing years of experience and stronger prosocial orientation (women > men; longer experience > shorter experience). The qualitative phase, drawing on Clinton’s six-phase leadership development model and the encylica Slavorum Apostoli (1985), demonstrates that the Thessalonian brothers exemplify a longitudinal pattern of development, progressing from foundational formation to enduring influence, with crisis functioning as a catalyst for personal and spiritual growth. Based on these findings, the study proposes several guidelines for leadership formation: (1) phased spiritual maturation, (2) cultural sensitivity, (3) relational empathy, (4) strategic innovation, (5) ethical integrity, and (6) resilience in the face of crisis. Saints Cyril and Methodius thus emerge as a timeless archetype for overcoming polarization and fostering a sustainable Slovenian church community in the twenty-first century.

PDF