KIAI CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP AND PESANTREN TRANSFORMATION: CONCEPTUALIZATION OF MANAGED CHARISMA

Abstrak

The transformation of traditional pesantren into modern Islamic educational institutions faces persistent challenges in sustaining kiai charismatic leadership across generations. This study analyzes the dynamics of kiai charismatic leadership in driving pesantren organizational transformation and develops the concept of managed charisma as a leadership regeneration model within Islamic education management. Employing a phenomenological approach with multiple case studies at four pesantren two salaf-transformative pesantren in East Java and two modern-combination pesantren in Central Java data were collected through in-depth interviews with 18 informants, three-month cumulative participatory observation (March–August 2024), and institutional document analysis. An epoché procedure was applied to ensure phenomenological objectivity. Findings reveal that kiai charisma derives from three pillars: 'ilmu (scholarly depth), 'amal (consistent practice), and karamah (spiritual distinction). The central contribution is the conceptualization of "managed charisma" a model enabling the preservation of charismatic essence through three institutional mechanisms: value codification, authority distribution, and ritualization of leadership practices. Unlike Weber's routinization of charisma which implies charismatic erosion, this model offers operational guidance for pesantren leadership succession management, with direct implications for innovative management of Islamic educational institutions