Servant Leadership As A Leadership Model For The Principal Of the Special Program of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Kottabarat Surakarta

This study examines implementing a leadership model by the principal of Muhammadiyah Junior High School Program Khusus Kottabarat Surakarta, an Islamic school known for its character education and spirituality-based learning. This study collected data through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis using a qualitative descriptive design. The study revealed that the principal consistently applies servant leadership principles, including empathetic listening, empowering teachers, modeling spirituality, and transparent communication. These practices foster a collaborative and religious school climate. Despite facing challenges such as differences in personality and communication styles, the principal overcomes these challenges through personal engagement and the instillation of values. These findings offer an original contribution by contextualizing Servant leadership within the cultural and spiritual values of Muhammadiyah schools and confirming its relevance as a transformative model of Islamic educational leadership.