Principal’s Visionary Leadership in Improving Competitiveness

The purpose of this study is to describe in depth: How the visionary principal is a direction setter, agent of change and implements change strategy steps to improve school competitiveness. This study uses a qualitative research with a phenomenological approach and a multi-site study design. Data collection techniques used in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation. The data obtained were analyzed using the technique of reading all the data, coding, connecting the themes or descriptions to each other, and interpreting the meaning of the themes or descriptions. Meanwhile, the method of checking the validity of the data uses the techniques of credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability. The results of this study indicate that the principal’s visionary leadership in increasing competitiveness by means of the principal as a director setter, as an agent of change and carrying out change strategy steps including vision-oriented competitiveness, producing graduates who master IMTAQ, science and technology, are independent, nationalist and religious in the style of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah An-Nahdliyah, implementation of curriculum and administration in accordance with national education standards, orientation to graduates who are able to compete in the industrial world, higher education and other education, Vocational High Schools have expertise which can be used as a school icon that can attract prospective students and develop student potential, has a Quality Guarantee/quality guarantee for students by providing additional or extracurricular activities, has standard facilities and infrastructure according to needs. The Conclusion of this study indicate that the principal’s visionary leadership in increasing competitiveness by means of the principal as a director setter, as an agent of change and carrying out change strategy.