The Leadership Strategy of Young Kiai in the Management of Establishing Islamic Educational Institutions at Darul Amanah Foundation, Bedono

Abstract

This study aims to describe and analyze the leadership strategy of Kiyai Ahmad Mustafidin in the establishment and development of Islamic educational institutions under the auspices of the Darul Amanah Foundation, located in Bedono, Jambu District, Semarang Regency. The phenomenon of young kiyai leadership, who not only fulfill spiritual and religious roles but also emerge as managerial and transformational actors, serves as the main background of this research. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed using a case study method. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation. The data were analyzed inductively through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The main informant was Kiyai Ahmad Mustafidin, supported by teachers, foundation administrators, community leaders, and members of IPNU and IPPNU. The findings reveal that Kiyai Ahmad's leadership is visionary, transformational, and values-based. He successfully established the educational institution from the ground up by engaging various community elements and external partners. The strategies applied include long-term planning, strengthening of organizational structure, integration of digital technology, youth cadre development through IPNU–IPPNU, and the institutional embedding of pesantren values such as adab (ethics), tarbiyah (education), and tadris (teaching) within a modern management system. Moreover, his adaptive capacity in responding to challenges such as fire crises and clean water shortages demonstrates a resilient and responsive leadership model.