Karlshochschule International University

Excursion to Maria Laach – Modern Management and Leadership in a Monastery

Autor: Veronika Dinius am 9.06.2010

Surrounded by centuries-old, high walls, submerged in an atmosphere of contentedness and peace a small group of students was sitting in the common room of the monastery. A chair circle formed by the students surrounded a monk whom the whole attention of the group was rivet on and who brought a sparkling in their eyes. It was the utmost rich humanity embedded in the very quiet and revigorating atmosphere of a Benedictine monastery where father Athanasius’ released his thoughts and tenets about the over the centuries grown treasure of the living together in a monastic community. This is how we all perceived our last trip to the Benedictine Monastery in Maria Laach. My fellow student Franziska Konz characterised this magnificent scene in one sentence: “He wrapped us with his spirit, intrigued and captured our attention … I will always remember in my future actions”.

Within the scope of the Master’s Program Leadership we and two professors got the opportunity to meet, during our three days’ stay at the Monastery in Maria Laach, the Benedictine monk father Athanasius. Maria Laach is a Romanesque monastery which has obviously survived the challenging conditions that came up during the last centuries. This requires all sorts of survival tactics. Father Athanasius, old and feeble with weak eyes, brought fascination into students’ hearts by simple coupling the modest life of the monastic community, survival tactics, success, proactive planning with Benedictines’ stoicism, fraternity and sense of community.

A warm discussion with father Athanasius gave us rousing insights into the sphere of thousand years old Benedictine Management and Leadership by highlightening the managerial performance measurement and leadership style of the Benedictine monks and by determining the importance of a good leadership, based on a cooperative leadership style. In his interview father Athanasius explained potential relationships between managerial efficiency and the cooperative leadership by intertwining social, evolutionary and systemic theories and thoughts. Examples from industry like the behaviour between bankers or the task- and quality-specific division of tasks as well as the Benedictine working life visualised that a communication and cooperative behaviour in monasteries such as in organisations is key for the success of the monasterial organisation. The father claims: “Leading people not only requires the evaluation of figures; rather, human values need to be taken into account”.

From the very beginning father Athanasius captured the attention by his amicable appearance and the rousing speech about the implication of friendship and trust within teams and organisations. Johannes Müller, another fellow student, described the situation as follows: “It was one the fascinating encounter I ever had since I have learned that successful leadership, no matter where or in which form you experience it, is based on ethical values and follows the same principles which are integration, collaboration and participation”. He depicted that he was surprised and fascinated at the same time by the connection and integration between the discursive theories of J. Habermas and P. Ulrich and the ability to solve problems on a discursive level. The father’s attitude, that a close relationship, and that, not only within one’s sphere but also towards foreigners equalises the celibacy, was admiring because he could feel this deep friendship during his visit.

The excursion was a fascinating and an instructive experience for all of us. This fact and our new experiences make this excursion such advisable for further courses as students not only learn new ways of leadership and managerial styles but are also given the possibility to take a breath from the everyday life.