2. • Out of all 5 functions in a management, Directing plays a major role.
• DIRECTING is said to be a process in which the managers instruct, guide and oversee the
performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals.
• In simple words, it can be described as providing guidance to workers in doing work.
• Planning, Organizing and Staffing have got no importance if direction function does not
take place.
• Directing consists of process or technique by which instruction can be issued and operations
can be carried out as originally planned.
• Therefore, Directing is the function of guiding, inspiring, overseeing and instructing people
towards accomplishment of organizational goals.
3. ◾ “Directing is the inter personnel aspect of
managing by which subordinates are led to
understand and contribute effectively and
efficiently to the attainment of enterprise
objectives.” – Koontz andO’Donnell.
4. Directing = Supervising+ Leading + Motivating + Communicating +
Coordinating
• It is one of the most important functions of management to translate company's plans into execution.
• It includes providing leadership(influence) to people so that they work willingly and enthusiastically.
• Directing people involves motivating them all the time to enthuse them to give their best.
• Communicating companies plans throughout the organization is an important directing activity.
• It also means coordinating various people and their activities.
• Directing aims at achieving the best not just out of an individual but achieving the best through the
groups or teams of people through team building efforts.
5. ◾ Initiates action
◾ Performed at every level of management
◾ Directing is a continuous process
◾ Directing flows from top to bottom
◾ Indivisible from other functions
◾ Goals oriented
Characteristics/Features of
Directing
6. Caselet
• Classic Rocks’ is a pioneering advertisement making company. Mr. Anuj is a
dynamic manager who has recently joined the organisation. He receives
complete support from the management. There is proper infrastructure, planning
mechanism and subordinate support. He gives orders and starts the actual
working of a new unit from the 1st of May. His schedule becomes very hectic. The
demanding work involves him almost throughout the day. He is busy giving
messages, talking to his subordinates or seniors, etc. throughout the day. One
day he meets his friend Vijay who is working at the lower level management
though he himself is a part of middle level management. He finds that even Vijay
is involved in communicating and supervising his employees throughout the year
though he works at the lower level management. Similar is the case with his
seniors working at the higher level management. He feels relaxed after knowing
this and continues his work with even more dedication.
1.Which function of management is highlighted in the above case?
2.Identify the features of this function of management highlighted in the above
case.
7. ELEMENTS OF DIRECTING
• Supervision: It refers to monitor the progress of routine work of one’s subordinates and guiding
them properly. Supervision is an important element of the directing function of management.
Supervision has an important feature that face-to-face contact between the supervisor and his
subordinate is a must.
• Communication: It refers to an art of transferring facts, ideas, feeling, etc. from one person to
another and making him understand them. A manager has to continuously tell his subordinates
about what to do, how to do, and when to do various things. Communication by developing
mutual understanding inculcates a sense of cooperation which builds an environment of
coordination in the organization.
• Leadership: It refers to influence others in a manner to do what the leader wants them to do.
Leadership plays an important role in directing. Only through this quality, a manager can inculcate
trust and zeal among his subordinates.
• Motivation: It refers to that process which excites people to work for attainment of the desired
objective. Among the various factors of production, it is only the human factor which is dynamic
and provides mobility to other physical resources.
• Coordination: It refers to develop a coordination at every level of hierarchy.
8. • Identify the elements of directing in the following cases:
1.Arun who is the departmental head of his organisation decides to improve the performance
of his department. He decides to give some financial and non financial incentives to his
subordinates. He knows these incentives will satisfy their needs. Therefore they will be
stimulated to take actions from their side.
2.Rajeev is an HR manager leading a team of 12 people. He knows that the duties and
responsibilities of an HR employee are challenging. He knows in order to make his team
work with a positive frame of mind, he will have to set a personal example as a role model
and influence their behaviour and working style to increase the output of his team.
3.Priya and Raghav are discussing about an element of directing. They say that without this
element no group or people can achieve a common understanding. This element requires
effort from both the sides and consumes 90% of the time of a manager.
Caselets
9. 4. Rajesh who works at the shop floor is a lower level manager. He is heading a team of 25 workers. He
oversees and guides their efforts on a regular basis and tries to maximize the output of his unit by timely giving
them feedback. His team has group unity and works with dedication to complete their targets on time.
5.Kavita is a CEO. She has recently replaced Mr. Anuj who was an unsuccessful CEO. The profits of the
company fell to a new low during his time. Kavita has a lot of challenges in front of her, major being the lack of
enthusiasm in the organisation. In order to set things right she is trying to set a personal example in front of the
employees by working with dedication and putting 16 to 17 hours in her job on a daily basis.
6. Akash works in a telecom company. He is leading a team of more than 100 employees. Daily he drops
messages to them, convenes meeting and arranges a suggestion box in his department. He listens to the
advices and suggestions of his subordinates very carefully and tries to implement them whereever possible. He
is quite clear in his delivery of messages and conveys his thoughts properly.
11. PRINCIPLES OF DIRECTION
(A)Principles relating to the purpose of direction
• Principle of maximum individual contribution
• Principle of harmony of objectives
• Principle of efficiency of direction
12. (B) Principles relating to direction process
• Principle of Unity of Command
• Principle of Appropriateness of Direction Technique
• Principle of Managerial Communication
• Principle of Comprehension
• Principle of use of informal organization
• Principle of leadership
• Principle of efficient control
• Principle of Follow Through
