MISSION-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP: AN EMERGENT THEORY

Private education significantly contributes to achieving the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), with instructional leaders playing a pivotal role in shaping the vision and direction of schools. This study aimed to generate a theory on the leadership style among young private school heads. Using a deductive axiomatic approach in theory generation, the following axioms are generated: (1) Mission-driven leaders are aligned with the organization's core values; (2) Mission-driven leaders inspire and motivate; (3) Mission-driven leaders are strategically focused; and (4) Mission-driven leaders are adaptive to change. From these axioms, four propositions were derived: (A) Leaders who align with the organization's core values build cohesion and trust, increasing employee loyalty; (B) Leaders who effectively communicate the organization's mission and vision inspire and motivate employees, resulting in higher levels of engagement and productivity; (C) Leaders focused on mission-related goals drive accountability, performance excellence, and competitive advantage; (D) Leaders who exhibit adaptability and flexibility in response to changing environments and challenges foster organizational resilience and sustain competitive advantage. From these axioms and propositions, the Mission-Driven Leadership Theory was developed, which posited that a mission-driven leader is aligned with the organization's core values, inspires and motivates, is strategically focused, and is adaptive to change. The convergence of the two core attributes of Mission-Driven Leadership – Alignment and Focus, and Inspiration and Adaptability, creates a robust framework that fosters innovation, sustained success, and organizational cohesiveness.