The critical input of middle managers as they make sense of the organisation's plans is paramount during the process of strategic change. Through the lens of middle manager sensemaking literature, this explorative research identifies key organisational practices that underpin sensemaking. An understanding of these practices will allow organisations better develop and support them, thereby enabling middle managers' contribution to strategic change.,This study employed an innovative diary methodology. 42 middle managers, across three organisations, completed a weekly, online diary for 12 weeks. A qualitative analysis of the final 355 diaries isolated and explained the sensemaking practices in which middle managers engaged as they sought to achieve the shared understanding required to progress strategic change.,This study identifies the key practice underpinning middle manager sensemaking as formal and frequent discourse opportunities between leaders and middle managers. Through leader participation beyond the initiation stages of strategic change, and the organisation's positive positioning of time and metrics, these discourse opportunities enable a form of sensemaking associated with a number of positive organisational outcomes. These include middle manager sensegiving across the organisation, the successful enactment of strategic change, positive perceptions of change outcomes and organisational climate among middle managers and middle manager well-being.,This study advances our theoretical understanding of the practice of sensemaking in organisations through the isolation and identification of its key practices. However, given the difficulty in obtaining access for such a lengthy and intrusive methodology, the study is confined to three organisations. Additionally, the focus on the practice of sensemaking did not fully explore any contextual factors within these organisations. Also, middle manager perceptions of successful organisational outcomes are not very reliable performance indicators. While the self-reporting of perceptions is a worthwhile means of gathering data, a measure and comparison of actual business performance indicators would significantly strengthen the findings.,From a practitioner perspective, this study not only underlines the importance for organisations of developing critical sensemaking practices for middle managers but also provides a clear pathway to achieving this. In approaching the intangible process of sensemaking from a practice perspective, it provides key stakeholders such as leaders, change agents and the HR department with a guide as to the types and forms of discourse practices which can be enabled. Maybe more importantly, it also highlights the practices which disable middle manager sensemaking. The study also provides organisations with insights into the positive outcomes stemming from middle manager sensemaking that should strengthen their case towards the development of sensemaking practices.,This paper responds to the call for new approaches to the study of sensemaking as an ongoing practice within organisations. The qualitative diary analysis provides rich insights into the specific organisational practices that can enable middle manager sensemaking, while also highlighting those practices that can disable their role during strategic change. These findings provide organisations with clear approaches for developing sensemaking as a practice, thereby engaging and supporting the multiple actors and levels required to deliver successful strategic change.

中文翻译：

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战略变革和理性实践：增强中层管理者的作用

在战略变革过程中，中层管理人员理解组织计划的关键输入至关重要。通过中层管理者有意义的文学作品，这项探索性研究确定了支撑有意义的关键组织实践。对这些做法的理解将使组织能够更好地发展和支持它们，从而使中层管理人员能够为战略变革做出贡献。本研究采用了创新的日记方法。三个组织的42位中层管理人员每周完成一次在线日记，为期12周。对最后355份日记进行定性分析，并解释了中层管理人员为了寻求实现战略变革所需的共识而从事的有意义的实践，这项研究确定了支持中层管理者意识的关键实践，即领导者与中层管理者之间正规和频繁的对话机会。通过领导者的参与，超越了战略变革的初始阶段，以及组织对时间和指标的积极定位，这些演讲机会使一种感官形式与许多积极的组织成果相关联。其中包括整个组织的中层管理者的感官，战略变革的成功制定，中层管理者和中层管理者的幸福感，对变革结果和组织氛围的积极认识。隔离和确定其主要做法。然而，鉴于难以获得这种冗长而侵入性的方法，该研究仅限于三个组织。此外，对感官实践的关注并未完全探索这些组织中的任何上下文因素。同样，中层经理对成功的组织成果的看法也不是非常可靠的绩效指标。尽管自我报告是收集数据的一种有价值的手段，但对实际业务绩效指标的度量和比较将显着增强发现。从从业者的角度来看，本研究不仅强调了组织发展重要的理性实践的重要性。对于中层管理人员，也为实现这一目标提供了明确的途径。从实践的角度出发，探讨无形的意义创造过程，它为关键利益相关者（例如领导者，变革推动者和人事部门）提供了有关可以启用的话语实践的类型和形式的指南。也许更重要的是，它还强调了妨碍中层管理者明智决策的做法。该研究还为组织提供了对中层经理人感官产生的积极结果的见识，这些积极结果应加强他们对感官实践发展的支持。定性日记分析提供了对特定组织实践的丰富见解，这些实践可以使中层管理者具有启发性，同时重点介绍了可能会在战略变革期间失去作用的做法。这些发现为组织提供了一种清晰的方法，将其发展为一种实践，从而吸引和支持实现成功战略变革所需的多个参与者和层次。