AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION: A BALINESE  PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE THROUGH TRI KAYA  PARISUDHA

I Wayan Aryawan; Ni Nyoman Sri Mastini

I Wayan Aryawan
Ni Nyoman Sri Mastini

Keywords: authentic leadership, educational leadership, Tri Kaya Parisudha, Balinese philosophy, local wisdom

Abstract

Authentic leadership is increasingly discussed in the world of education because it emphasizes authenticity, reflective awareness, relational transparency, and moral consistency in decision-making. Previous research has shown that authentic leadership is able to increase trust, motivation, and performance in educational organizations. However, most research still focuses on Western perspectives and has not explored the integration of local wisdom as an ethical and spiritual foundation in educational leadership. This is where there is a research gap, namely how authentic leadership can be enriched with local philosophies that have strong moral and spiritual dimensions. This article aims to examine authentic leadership through the perspective of Balinese Hindu philosophy Tri Kaya Parisudha, which emphasizes purity of mind (manacika), speech (wacika), and deeds (kayika). The method used is a literature review with a conceptual-philosophical approach, which examines the theory of authentic leadership in education and connects it with the teachings of Tri Kaya Parisudha as the basis of local values. The analysis was carried out by mapping the linkages between the four dimensions of authentic leadership (self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective, and balanced processing) with the three main pillars of Tri Kaya Parisudha. The results show that the integration of the two gives birth to a more complete authentic leadership model: educational leaders are not only consistent in their values and actions, but also uphold purity of thought, word, and deed. This model strengthens trust, harmony, and an ethical climate in the educational community while fostering a holistic character in students. These findings confirm that Balinese local wisdom has the universal potential to enrich the global discourse of educational leadership and provide an ethical framework that can be adapted to multicultural contexts.

References

Ahmed, E. I. (2023). A systematic review of authentic leadership literature in educational research from 1997 to 2021. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 52(6), 1276–1314. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432221120467

Almutairi, M., Timmins, F., Wise, P., Stokes, D., & Alharbi, T. (2024). Authentic Leadership—A Concept Analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81, 1775–1793. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16496

Gardner, W. L., Cogliser, C. C., Davis, K. M., & Dickens, M. P. (2021). Authentic leadership: A review of the literature and research agenda. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(6), 1120–1145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.09.007

Gunada, I. W. A., Harnika, N. N., Nitiasih, P. K., Wayan, N., Lestari, R., Ratna, D., & Lukman, K. S. (2024). Character of educational leadership: A critical educational study of leadership in local wisdom. KnE Social Sciences, 9(2), 1298–1316. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i2.14945

Hsu, W., Silalahi, A. D. K., Eunike, I. J., & Phuong, D. T. T. (2024). Fostering creativity and performance through authentic leadership in educational institutions. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2425774

Ibrahim, M., Burhanudin, B., Suprayati, N., Fahmi, M. I. N., & Sahaluddin, S. (2025). From tradition to transformation: Exploring institutional leadership models rooted in local cultural wisdom. Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 9(2), 578–590. https://doi.org/10.33650/al-tanzim.v9i2.10783

Lynch, J., Daly, D., Lafferty, N., & Mannix McNamara, P. (2022). The Real Deal: A Qualitative Investigation of Authentic Leadership in Irish Primary School Leaders. Societies, 12(4), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc12040106

Menashko, Y., & Pestusco, N. (2025). Effective school leadership: lessons and reflections from a twelve-year effort in a struggling urban school. 1, 227–229. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.54481/uekbs2024.v1.39

Murdana, I. K. (2021). Tri Kaya Parisudha values in character education: A Balinese Hindu perspective. Journal of Hindu Studies, 14(2), 167–184. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhs/hiab012

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications.

Paramita, S., Suastra, W., Atmaja, A. W. T., & Tika, I. N. (2024). Application of cultural philosophy in holistic education in improving students’ cognitive, moral and spiritual. JUPE: Jurnal Pendidikan Mandala, 9(4), 1102–1109. https://doi.org/10.58258/jupe.v9i4.7794

Pujiani, N. L. N., Arnyana, I. B. P., & Suja, I. W. (2024). Tri Hita Karana approach in social studies learning for grade IV of SDN Mengani to build social and environmental harmony. Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora, 12(3), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.17977/um011v12i32024p153-160

Sanders, M. (2018). Crossing Boundaries: A Qualitative Exploration of Relational Leadership in Three Full-Service Community Schools. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 120, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811812000403

Sanjani, M. A. F., Safitri, S. D., & Lateh, M. (2024). Authentic leadership in the perspective of Islamic education. Educare: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 3(2), 100–114. https://doi.org/10.71392/ejip.v3i2.81

Sedana, K. P., Yudana, I. M., Suarni, N. K., & Nitiasih, P. K. (2022). Integrating Tri Hita Karana in character education. Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers, 13(3), 92–99. https://doi.org/10.47750/jett.2022.13.03.010

Shahin, B., Rowan, S., Mazloum, T., & Kawar, N. (2024). Effective leadership and its impact on the educational community. Journal of Educational Leadership in Action, 9(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.62608/2164-1102.1150

Shao, Y., Jiang, W., Wang, N., Zhang, C., & Zhang, L. (2025). The impact of authentic leadership on the work engagement of primary and secondary school teachers: The serial mediation role of school climate and teacher efficacy. PLoS One, 20(5), e0320839. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320839

Shie, E., & Chang, S. (2022). Perceived Principal’s Authentic Leadership Impact on the Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Well-Being of Teachers. SAGE Open, 12(2), 21582440221095004. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221095003

Sompron, T. (2024). Community Engagement in Educational Management: Building Strong Partnerships. Journal of Asian Multicultural Research for Educational Study, 4(3), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.47616/jamres.v4i3.460

Suardana, I. W. (2018). Balinese local wisdom Tri Kaya Parisudha and its implementation in education. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(3), 48–58. https://doi.org/10.29332/ijssh.v2n3.182

Suri, N. (2025). Balance of tradition and progression. In M. Paradiso-Testa (Ed.), The value of vision in leadership (pp. 345–380). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-2392-3.ch012

Wimbawati, P. A., Suja, I. W., & Arnyana, I. B. P. (2025). Integrating Tri Hita Karana into education: Fostering harmony for intelligent and virtuous individuals. International Research-Based Education Journal, 7(2), 273–282. https://doi.org/10.17977/um043v7i22025p273-282