<![CDATA[General Background Leadership in educational institutions strategically defines organizational culture, sustainability, and member loyalty. Specific Background The Al Fattah Buduran Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo transitioned from a traditionally centralized, single-figure leadership model to a distributed, collegial collective leadership framework following the founder's passing. Knowledge Gap Although traditional centralized leadership in Islamic boarding schools is well-documented, empirical studies evaluating how the structural transition toward collegial collective leadership specifically shapes cadre loyalty and organizational sustainability remain scarce. Aims This study analyzes the implementation of the collegial collective leadership model and evaluates its direct contribution to cadre loyalty at the Al Fattah Buduran Islamic Boarding School. Results Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach with participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, the findings demonstrate a successful structural transformation. The collective model actively distributes authority, fosters an inclusive culture, and utilizes deliberative decision-making, which significantly strengthens cadre loyalty by generating a deep sense of psychological ownership and affective commitment. However, the study identifies operational challenges, including potential role ambiguity, communication gaps, and differing executive visions that require ongoing cadre capacity development. Novelty This research distinctly integrates distributed leadership theories within a traditional Islamic boarding school setting, providing empirical evidence that collective management directly generates long-term cadre loyalty. Implications Boarding schools must proactively formalize role divisions, synchronize executive visions, and implement continuous cadre training to maximize the benefits of distributed leadership and ensure institutional sustainability. Highlights: Transitioning from centralized to collegial leadership structurally distributes authority and deepens organizational inclusivity. Active cadre participation in deliberative decision-making generates profound psychological ownership and long-term institutional loyalty. Successful collective leadership demands formalized role divisions, synchronized executive visions, and continuous cadre capacity development. Keywords: Leadership Innovation, Cadre Loyalty, Islamic Boarding School, Collegial Leadership, Organizational Transformation]]>
