IMAGE AS A PURPOSEFULLY MANAGED TOOL OF A LEADER

Abstract

The relevance of the research is driven by the growing role of intangible resources, particularly a leader's image, in the context of globalization, accelerated information flows, and dynamic changes in the business environment. Modern transformations in public consciousness and the development of digital communications have turned the image from a static characteristic into a purposefully managed tool that directly affects the success of an individual, organization, and even a state. In the Ukrainian context, especially amid the full-scale invasion, the effective transformation of political leaders' images has become a decisive factor for national consolidation and international support. The scientific problem lies in the inconsistency between the growing practical importance of image manage-ment and the insufficient theoretical and methodological development of this process as a systemic management tech-nology. There is a need to systematize approaches that reveal the relationship between a leader's personal qualities, their leadership style, self-presentation strategies, and specific image-making tools. The purpose of the article is to provide a theoretical substantiation and a comprehensive analysis of the image as a purposefully managed tool of a leader that ensures the achievement of political, corporate, and personal goals through a combination of leadership qualities, self-presentation technologies, and communication strategies. The article has been proven that a leader's image is not a spontaneous reflection of their personality but a purposefully constructed construct designed to solve strategic tasks. The key components and functions of a leader's image have been systematized, and its dual structure has been revealed: "internal" (perceived by staff) and "external" (perceived by society). Technologies of self-presentation and impression management have been analyzed as integral components of success, allowing for the con-scious formation of a positive perception of one's own personality. The relationship between image and key leadership qualities such as charisma, emotional intelligence, competence, and public speaking skills, which are the foundation for building audience trust, has been identified. It is substantiated that visual attributes (clothing, accessories) function as powerful symbols that convey leadership qualities, as demonstrated by the example of the image change of the Presi-dent of Ukraine, V. Zelenskyy. The role of leadership as an integral element of HR management has been summarized, particularly in the context of team building, change management, and personnel development. Prospects for further research include developing comprehensive models for image management in the digital environment, studying the impact of cultural differences on the formation of a leadership image, and analyzing the effectiveness of image-making tools in the context of hybrid threats and information warfare.