This article discusses the work of mid-level management at Finnish universities of applied sciences. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 line managers, this study investigates how the standardized management ideas of rational management and employee empowerment are used in the leadership of lecturers at these institutions. The findings indicate that the work of middle managers is characterized by the consistent pursuit of rationality, strenuous efforts to provide individualized attention to every staff member and the promotion of cooperation. This study concludes that the global management script has firmly shaped the work of middle management at Finnish universities of applied sciences, as demonstrated by their attempts to tighten the couplings between the organizational subsystems and between the management and the teaching staff.