Transformational Leadership of School Principals in Developing an Effective Work Culture in State Senior High Schools in Pelalawan Regency

Transformational leadership has been widely recognised as a catalyst for effective school culture, yet empirical insight from Indonesian public high schools remains limited. This phenomenological study explores how principals enact transformational leadership to cultivate work culture in two state senior high schools in Pelalawan Regency, Riau Province. Data were generated through 36 semi-structured interviews with principals, vice-principals, and teachers, 42 hours of non-participant observation, and analysis of 185 pages of institutional documents. Trustworthiness was ensured through triangulation, member checking, and an audit trail. Results indicate clear contrasts. At SMAN Bernas, the principal successfully internalised vision and mission through visible artefacts and weekly “story-sharing” sessions; 81 % of teachers confirmed shared values and 73 % perceived open communication, while mentoring logs and training records evidenced systematic professional support. However, only 41 % felt that innovation was strongly encouraged, signalling structural constraints. In SMAN 1 Langgam, vision statements were present but seldom embedded in practice; student surveys showed more than 70 % punctuality and rule compliance, yet only 18 % active participation in positive school activities, and 54 % questioned leaders’ exemplariness. Observations revealed supervision reports unaccompanied by follow-up coaching and mentoring remained informal. The findings demonstrate that transformational leadership becomes effective when visionary rhetoric is operationalised through consistent motivation, collaborative structures, and recognition mechanisms. Institutional readiness and resource allocation further shape leadership impact. The study recommends formalising mentoring, embedding reflective supervision, and establishing reward systems to foster innovation and sustain adaptive, high-performing school cultures within increasingly complex educational and societal contexts.