Abstract
<jats:p>The article explores the problem of developing leadership qualities in future teachers as a key factor in intensifying their professional self-development. Modern education undergoes a profound paradigm shift, transforming a teacher from a distributor of knowledge into an educational leader who inspires, organizes, and creates an environment for the development of each individual. The study highlights the gap between the declared ideal of a teacher-leader in the New Ukrainian School concept and the reality of higher pedagogical education. It is substantiated that leadership in a pedagogical context does not imply dominance but rather the ability to take responsibility, build communities, and inspire others. The research establishes a deep interconnectedness between leadership potential and professional self-development. A teacher with developed leadership qualities does not rely on external stimuli for growth; instead, they independently construct their professional trajectory, take responsibility for its outcomes, and inspire colleagues and students. The article determines that the development of leadership qualities in future teachers is a multi-component process encompassing personal-reflexive, motivational, communicative, volitional, and organizational dimensions. This process requires purposeful pedagogical support within higher education institutions. The integration of formal and non-formal education, project activities, student self-governance, and specialized training sessions is justified as highly effective. Furthermore, the study identifies student age as the optimal period for fostering leadership qualities due to the combination of sufficient personal maturity and psychological plasticity required for deep transformations. The future teacher-leader is defined as an active creator of their own development who serves as a catalyst for growth. Perspectives for further research lie in developing a comprehensive model.</jats:p>