Strategies for Innovative Leadership and Educational Management: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The increasing complexity and rapid changes in contemporary education require adaptive and innovative leadership approaches. Conventional administrative-oriented leadership is considered insufficient to support sustainable educational management transformation. This study aims to analyze the role and contribution of innovative leadership in supporting the transformation of educational management. A qualitative approach with a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) design was employed by reviewing 24 national and international journal articles published between 2020 and 2025. Data were collected through document analysis and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns, themes, and implications of innovative leadership in education. The findings reveal that innovative leadership significantly contributes to improving educational management effectiveness, strengthening innovation culture, empowering educators, and enhancing the quality of educational services. Furthermore, innovative leadership is closely integrated with transformational, digital, and collaborative leadership approaches. This study provides theoretical contributions to the development of educational leadership literature and offers practical implications for educational leaders and policymakers in designing adaptive and sustainable leadership strategies.