Since the mid-1980s, a global resurgence of large-scale reform in the field of education has been witnessed. Implementing these reforms has created many dilemmas for change leaders. Following a three-year qualitative research project, the present study explores the dilemmas leaders faced during the implementation of the national curriculum reform of senior secondary education in mainland China. The results indicate that those leading the changes of the curriculum reform were placed in a ‘trilemma’ arising from three conflicting cultural values, namely compliance culture, examination culture, and the new pedagogic culture advocated by the reform. These dilemmas stem from local adaptations in response to global reform trends. Finally, the implications for managing dilemmas in change leadership resulting from the present study are put forward.
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