<![CDATA[This study examines the implementation of principals' leadership management in improving the professional competence of teachers in high school. Using a descriptive qualitative approach and comparative study design, the research was conducted at SMAN 1 Cihaurbeuti and SMAN 1 Cisayong which were purposively selected based on the similarity of accreditation status A but differences in leadership characteristics. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 6 key informants, participatory observation, and documentation studies, then analyzed using Miles and Huberman's interactive model. The findings of the study revealed that the effectiveness of the principal's leadership was determined by the ability to integrate management functions (planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating) with the specific context of each school. SMAN 1 Cihaurbeuti implements an instructional-democratic leadership style with a focus on strengthening educational technology through a “mentor-mentee” model, while SMAN 1 Cisayong develops a transformational-participatory style with an emphasis on methodological innovation through “learning communities”. Both approaches have proven to be equally effective when aligned with the characteristics of the organization and the needs of teachers. This study concludes that the success of improving teachers' professional competence does not depend on the superiority of one particular leadership style, but on the suitability between leadership characteristics and the institutional context. These findings reinforce the contingency approach in educational leadership theory and recommend the development of a context-based leadership training model that emphasizes adaptive, reflective, and collaborative abilities for school principals in the face of the demands of educational transformation in the Independent Curriculum era.]]>
