Functions Of Management

The position that managers provide in planning, organizing, leading, and controlling is an essential responsibility in any business. A manager must organize these functions in order to reach company goals and maintain a competitive advantage. Putting these plans into action requires forming groups as underlings must be directed to complete the plan, and the plan's development must be directed by control. In order for these practices to succeed in an operational manner, an understanding must be reached concerning the basics in which these practices are in relationship to the business structure.

Planning

One of the keys to successful management begins with planning. A successful manager will figure out what the goal(s) are and then will figure out the best way to get there. What resources are needed? They compare strengths and weaknesses of individuals and other resources. For example, will putting four workers on a task that takes 14 hours cost less than renting a machine that can do the same task with one worker in 6 hours? If you change the first shift from an 8 AM start to a 10 AM start, can they handle the early evening rush so you do not have to hire an extra person for the second shift? A good management team or manager will look at all the probable scenarios and plan for them. Figure out the worst possible scenario and plan for that too. They need to evaluate different plans and develop what, in their best judgment, will work the best and what they will do if it does not.

As a management team or manager there are two types of plans that can be put together. One being that of strategic, which means the plans is organization wide, established overall objectives, and positions the organization with relation to its environment. The second type is operational plans, which specify details on how individual objectives are to be achieved. Planning activities include analyzing current situations, anticipating the future, determining objectives, deciding in what types of activities the company will engage, choosing corporate and business strategies, and determining the resources needed to achieve the organization's goals. When planning management may put plans in place that are long-term or short-term, directional or specific. Plans are what set the stage for action and for major achievements within an organization and group.

Organizing

After there is a plan in place, management needs to make it happen. Organizing activities include attracting people to the organization, specifying job responsibilities, grouping jobs into work in units, marshaling and allocating resources, and creating conditions so that people and things work together to achieve maximum success. Some of the questions that one in management might ask are; is everything ready ahead of in the group so the right stuff will get to the group at the right time? Is the group prepared to do its part of the plan? Is the downstream organization ready for what the group will deliver and when it will arrive? Are the workers trained? Are they motivated? Do they have the equipment they need? Are there spare parts available for the equipment? Has purchasing ordered the material? Is it the right stuff? Will it get here on the appropriate schedule? Management must do the legwork to make sure everything that is needed to execute the plan is ready to go, or will be when it is needed. They consistently need to check back to make sure that everyone understands their role and the importance of their role to the overall success.

Leadership

Leading is stimulating people to be high performers. It includes motivating and communicating with employees individually and in groups. Leading involves close day-to-day contact with people, helping to guide and inspire them toward achieving team and organizational goals. Leading takes place in teams, departments, and divisions, as well as at the tops of large organizations. A good leadership within an organization can be compared to that of an orchestra. Everyone in the orchestra has the music in front of him or her. They know which section is playing which piece and when. They know when to come in, what to play, and when to stop again. The conductor cues each section to make the music happen. This is the job of management here. They have given all the musicians (workers) the sheet music (the plan). They have the right number of musicians (workers) in each section (department),