This article examines the influence of the quality of local leaders on the development of social cohesion on household waste management in the city of Makassar. A quantitative approach was used to conduct this study, where data was collected from June to September 2019. The selected research subjects were manufacturing firms in China, including general equipment manufacturing, chemical raw materials and chemical products, pharmaceutical manufacturing. Many issues relating to the manufacturing industry have had a significant impact on the ecological environment. Local leaders or managers familiar with the overall state of their firm were invited to participate in the survey. The results of the analysis show that the quality of traditional leadership has a significant relationship with the development of social cohesion. The findings of the study prove that traditional leadership is important to increase community unity in the Iban community. These findings will be important guidelines for development thinkers, practitioners, community leaders, and development institutions. From a theoretical point of view, our findings contribute to the literature on both place leadership and collaborative governance. From a practical point of view, we shed light on the importance of four interrelated leadership practices to be enacted by public managers and civic leaders to promote positive social change.