Middle Leaders? : A study of the middle management's role in the public sector

Abstract Problem: Leadership studies have mostly concerned top management. However, as many researchers suggest, middle management has a great impact on the success of an organization, especially in change when they need to take on the role as a leader. Successful leaders motivate employees, and within the public sector they need to use non-financial means. In addition, the publicsector’s management is perceived to be insufficient. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the middle managers role in a public sector organization and how they motivate their employees. Method: In order to answer our purpose, we have chosen to use a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with six middle managers and six employees at three different local offices of Arbetsförmedlingen, in Jönköping County. Interviewing about leadership may cause discomfort providing honest answers, why full anonymity to all respondents has been applied. Result: In this thesis we have come to the conclusions that the middle management at AF should be named middle leaders as they use their leadership skills rather than management skills to achieve the organization’s goals. They motivate their employees by providing continuous feedback and recognition, and providing autonomy and a sense of importance through empowerment. We have further found that middle leaders are a vital resource for any organization, especially during change