Food and Drink  Wales

Binsardi and Poopalasingam (2025) explore the concept of ‘sensereceiving’, defined as the critical dynamic influencing organisational decision-making and leadership effectiveness. Through thematic analysis in a non-profit context, the study demonstrates that low sensereceiving—where leaders fail to adequately receive and interpret employee perspectives—creates negative feedback loops, disengagement, and organisational dysfunction, shedding light on the psychological foundations of leadership.

Key findings include:

• Leadership impact: Imperious leadership styles that ignore employee input lead to disengagement, feelings of disrespect, and even self-demotion, highlighting the need for empathetic, participative leadership.
• Employee engagement: Employees’ sense of control and identity are central to receptiveness and commitment, emphasizing that valuing sensereceiving fosters a respectful and inclusive workplace culture.
• Sector relevance: In the non-profit sector, where mission commitment is critical, enhancing sensereceiving can improve organisational decision-making, employee engagement, and societal impact.

The study advances theory and practice by:

• Explaining why well-designed change initiatives often fail despite strong sensegiving from leaders, positioning sensereceiving as a dynamic factor in organisational communication and sensemaking.
• Providing leaders with a practical framework to diagnose disengagement and improve message reception, especially in times of disruption, where human interpretation and commitment are key competitive advantages.

In sum, this research underscores that successful organisational leadership requires not just clear communication, but an environment where employees want to listen and feel heard, integrating affective, political, and identity-focused dimensions into decision-making processes.