Abstract
This study aims to examine the strengthening of school principals' strategic management in cultivating work ethics at SMA Negeri 14 Tebo. The main focus is to identify managerial strategies implemented by school principals to enhance teachers' work ethos and analyze their impact. The research employs a qualitative approach using case study methods, involving in-depth interviews and observations with principals, teachers, and school supervisors. Thematic data analysis was conducted to explore relationships between principals' managerial policies and teachers' work ethos. Results show that implemented strategic management includes open communication, recognition programs, continuous training, and constructive performance evaluation. Principals play crucial roles in creating conducive environments through participatory approaches involving teachers in decision-making. Consequently, teachers become more motivated, highly committed, and demonstrate improvements in discipline and teaching quality. The study concludes that strengthening principals' strategic management significantly influences teachers' work ethos improvement, contributing to educational quality at SMA Negeri 14 Tebo. Research implications emphasize the importance of principals' roles in designing managerial policies focused on teacher empowerment and the necessity of continuous evaluation to maintain educational quality.