Kepemimpinan Kyai Di Tengah Badai Modernitas: Antara Otoritas Kharismatik Dan Tata Kelola Profesional

This study aims to analyze in depth the dynamics of kyai leadership in Islamic boarding schools in facing the increasingly complex challenges of modernity. The research approach used is qualitative with a case study type in several Islamic boarding schools with different typologies of kyai leadership. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with kyai, the board of trustees, boarding school administrators and students, and documentation studies related to kyai leadership in the midst of the storm of modernity as argued by John W. Cresswel. While the analysis uses 3 interactive models of Miles and Huberman. The results of the study show that there are various adaptation strategies for the leadership of kyai Imam Misbah Aziz in responding to modernity. In this case, the kyai who founded the Islamic boarding school succeeded in integrating the principles of modern leadership without eroding their charisma and spiritual authority, while others faced challenges in balancing tradition and innovation. Added to the advantages are the existence of language programs in the form of English clubs and Arabic clubs and training programs for final year students who will join the management ranks. The contribution of this research lies in providing a new perspective on the evolution of Islamic boarding school leadership in the modern era, offering effective adaptation models, and providing practical meaning for the development of Islamic boarding school governance that is more responsive to changes in the times without losing its identity and noble values