CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESSES OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive scientific study of the conceptual foundations of leadership as a key determinant of the success of transformational processes in Ukraine’s public administration system. The relevance of the topic is substantiated by the need to move away from rigid hierarchical management models toward flexible, adaptive, and results-oriented strategies, driven by the challenges of digitalization, European integration, and the legal regime of martial law. The authors conduct a retrospective analysis of the evolution of leadership paradigms: from mechanistic models of directive control to modern concepts of transformational, distributed, servant, and adaptive leadership. Particular attention is paid to the phenomenon of digital leadership, or e-leadership, which, under conditions of rapid technological progress, is becoming an instrument for implementing reforms through e-government ecosystems and open data-based management. The article proposes an integrative-adaptive model of leadership that includes a value core, a subject-competence level, a conceptual-style level, a pragmatic-instrumental level, and an effectiveness-result-oriented level. The model is aimed at shaping a new type of public manager – a “manager-leader” capable of combining formal status with informal authority, strategic thinking with digital competence, and ethical responsibility with practical effectiveness. The stages of leadership implementation are identified, and indicators for assessing managerial transformations are proposed. Special attention is given to the impact of wartime challenges on the development of leadership potential, particularly value reorientation, practice-oriented personnel training, and the use of Ukraine’s experience in crisis management. It is proven that combining the formal status of a manager with personal authority and ethical responsibility forms a resilient governance system capable of transforming external threats into resources for development.