for a manager, what is imporment , controlling ir guiding

1. Management Functions
Henri Fayol suggested that there are four primary functions of the manager:
planning, controlling, directing and staffing. Since the early 1900s they have
guided the actions of managers. While they still hold value today, they now
mean different things in light of the current environment.
Managers have always been required to engage in planning. Not so long ago,
it was believed this planning varied by organizational level. That is, top
management planned in the longest time horizon and engaged in more
strategic planning. Middle managers planned in a medium time horizon and
lower level managers engaged in more operational planning that was shorter
term. Today, however, all managers are being asked to engage in strategic
planning. The responsibilities for strategic management are being delegated
down the organizational pyramid with all managers responsible for taking a
long-term view of the organization.
Staffing involves placing the right person in the right job within the
organization. This staffing responsibility today also involves ensuring the
person-job-organization fit is made. This means managers are not only
concerned with staffing the position with the right person, but also ensuring
the person quot;fitsquot; with the organization taking into account organizational
culture. Two decades ago this fit was not part of the staffing decision-making
process. Today, however, it is recognized certain personality types fit better
with specific organizational types. For example, people that are more open
and less rigid tend to be more comfortable in organic organizations.
Employees who are more comfortable with rigid rules and procedures work
best in mechanistic organizations and bureaucracies.
The role of control has always been important to managers. Only by
comparing actual performance to desired performance are gaps identified in
order to take corrective action. Control today is tied to technology. The role of
control has been changed with the technological advancements. Some of the
control has even been quot;replacedquot; with computers, as they monitor employee
performance on jobs that was once monitored by human managers. The role

2. of control has also been reexamined from an ethical perspective. That is,
employees do not want to be controlled and the move is toward self-control
on the part of employees.
Of the four functions of management, perhaps the greatest changes have been
seen in the directing function. Even the term directing itself seems archaic in
terms of the changing environment. Astute managers today are more engaged
in coaching and mentoring rather than the traditional directing.
The traditional role of directing was more in line of Frederick Taylor's view of
management responsibility in organizations. That is, the manager's
responsibility was to determine the one best way to perform the job and the
worker's responsibility was to perform the job in that one best way. The
manager, then, directed the employee in how to perform the job. Much of the
decision making was removed from the employee's hands.

3. Controlling
Control is one of the managerial functions like planning,
organizing, staffing and directing. It is an important function
because it helps to check the errors and to take the corrective
action so that deviation from standards are minimized and stated
goals of the organization are achieved in desired manner. According
to modern concepts, control is a foreseeing action whereas earlier
concept of control was used only when errors were detected.
Control in management means setting standards, measuring actual
performance and taking corrective action. Thus, control comprises
these three main activities.
Definition 
According to Harold Koontz ,
“Controlling is the measurement and correction of performance in
order to make sure that enterprise objectives and the plans devised
to attain them are accomplished.”
According to Henri Fayol ,
“Control consists of verifying whether everything occurs in
conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issued, and
principles established. Its object is to point out weaknesses and
errors in order to rectify them and prevent recurrence.”
Characteristics of Control
Control is a continuous process.
1.
2. Control is a management process.
Control is embedded in each level of organizational hierarchy.
3.
Control is forward looking.
4.

4. Control is closely linked with planning.
5.
Controlling is tool for achieving organizational activities.
6.
Importance of controlling:-
1. Facilitates achievement of targets.
Facilitates regular consultation.
2.
3. Facilitates coordination and efficiency.
Avoids deviation.
4.
5. Avoids wastages.
6. Provides remedial measures.
7. Objective oriented.
8. Introduces delegation and decentralization.
9. Removes weak points.
Raises employees morale.
10.

5. An organization cannot work without effective control mechanism.
Controlling is a regulatory activity. It is rightly treated as the soul of
management process. Controlling enables an enterprise to move towards its
objectives.
To control means to see that there is no deviation between the expected result
and the actual results. Control is used in all functional area of management
such as production control, quality control, inventory control and so on.
In controlling, managers evaluate how well the organization is achieving its
goals and takes corrective action to improve performance.
Managers will monitor individuals, departments, and the organization to
determine if desired performance has been reached. Managers will also take
action to increase performance as required.
The outcome of the controlling function is the accurate measurement of
performance and regulation of efficiency and effectiveness.

6. Guidance
Guidance can be defined as: -
“The act or process of guiding” or “The one who shows the way by leading,
directing, or advising. “ or “The one who serves as a model for others, as in a
course of conduct.”
Good manager guide their employees to continually learn new skills and work
toward organizational goals, while being sensitive to their needs. This kind of
guidance gives employees a vested interest in their organization, which will
affect the quality of their work. The good manager is a leader, not an order
giver.

7. When a manager tells an employee what he want done, instead of giving an
order, the manager give their employees the freedom to come up with their
best way of getting that task done. It may not always be the best way, and the
manager may have to do some monitoring and guiding, but there is also the
chance that they will come up with something better than what the manager
has planned.
When an employee is given an instruction, they have to think. They have to
think of ways to get the job done. They have to decide which is the best way.
They have to invest a little of themselves in the solution.
Also, when a manager give an employee an instruction, and lets his employees
decide for themselves the best way to accomplish the task, they are more
likely to get their buy-in and support. If they have made the decision about
the best way to accomplish the task they are more likely to believe it is correct
and valuable. They will defend it against others who question it.
Guiding involves working with an employee to establish goals, granting them
sufficient authority and responsibility to achieve the goals, often giving them
substantial freedom in deciding how the goals will be achieved, remaining
available as a resource to help them achieve the goals, assessing their
performance (the quality of their effort and attainment of the goals).
Guiding can sometimes be a major challenge for new supervisors to learn
because they are concerned about giving up control or struggle to have
confidence in the abilities of others. Managers that can effectively guide can
free up a great deal of their own time, help their direct reports to cultivate
expertise in learning, and can develop their own leadership skills -- skills that
are critical for problem solving, goal attainment and learning.
As a guider, a manager advises and assists employees. This does not mean
controlling and issuing commands. The manager as guider requires the role
be one of support. The manager provides guidance to the employees in an
objective fashion. Good guidance can foster better relationships between
managers and employees.
The concept of guidance focuses on the developmental needs of employees.
This requires the manager help employees tap into their full potential and
improve flexibility. The focus is on means (not ends). That is, the move is

8. away from rigid rules and procedures. More flexibility is allowed in how the
tasks are performed.
The guider empowers employees. Rather than exerting control over workers,
this manager sets employees up to manage themselves. This means giving up
control.
The guider in today's workforce is a listener. The directing manager exerted
control through talking. Little listening was actually done. In addition, this
new manager uses participative decision making. Autocratic decision making
has no role in guiding.
There are benefits for both employers and employees of guidance
For employers:
1. Guidance may help identify training needs.
2. Guidance and lifelong learning can lead to the development of skills
which are useful to the employer.
3. Guidance and participation in learning can improve team working.
4. Workers are likely to be more loyal and committed to their work if
their employer is considerate of their needs and shows how much
employees are valued.
5. Feeling valued by the employer reduces staff turnover.
6. Offering guidance or help with guidance improves the company
image.
For employees:
1. Access to guidance increases knowledge and the range of options;
2. Guidance can increase self-confidence and self-esteem;
3. Learning as an adult can restore confidence in the ability to learn,
both on formal courses and in the workplace;
4. Learning may lead to valued qualifications which assist in career
progression within the firm;
Workers can reflect on their work situation within a guidance
5.
setting.

9. The best guider is sincere and open. This helps create a climate of trust and
mutual respect where employees can take risks without fear-such as trying
new ideas. Yet employees in this environment are comfortable recognizing the
ownership of their decisions.
This mentoring manager serves as a role model and a teacher. This manager
gently guides the activities of others. Contrary to earlier theories suggesting
managers had to be strong and in control, today's managers must be caring
and show concern for their human resources.
Managers as guiders help employees become more proactive.
Case study
Computer Angels is a multicrore enterprise with its production units
located at Nashik, Indore and Gurgaon. Its head office is situated at Delhi.
The company adopted budgetary system with main emphasis on production
and expenses budget. The budget targets are based on the analysis of
production facilities and production operations. Nashik and Indore plants
were performing well but the plant at Gurgaon performed below the targets.
The company transferred Aditya Sood from Indore to Gurgaon as plant
manager with the clear instruction to raise production and productivity. Sood

10. enjoyed the reputation of being a democratic leader but disciplinarian. On
joining Gurgaon plant he convened meeting of supervisory staff and workers
separately. After having established basic acquaintance he stressed the need
to increase production by twenty percent. From the very next day Sood
reached very early and remained in the office till late hours. This infused
ready discipline and workers could not avoid work.
Sood asked the supervisor to submit report to him about the progress of work
every two hours. It was possible for him to note deviation and suggest
remedies. He spent least time in the office and kept moving from one plant to
another. His presence in the premises brought automatic control. From the
very first month production started increasing. At the end of the first year
management could see that the target of twenty percent increase in the
production was achieved and neither break-down in the production nor major
compliant were received.

11. Is Controlling Important Or
Guidance?
Change is indeed the order of the day. As we move toward networked
organizations, a global society and knowledge workers, the organizations are
changing. And these changes require managers change as well. The role of
managers within our organizations is drastically different than it was just ten
years ago. And what's more, we are just beginning to see the start of these
changes.
As the structures within our businesses are altered, the processes by which
the work is performed are also altered. The role of the manager within our
organizations has indeed changed in response to the times.
As organizations move toward the autonomous work group, empowered
employees and the self-managed team, the very nature of quot;directingquot; the work
of others has changed. This function now means managers need to be coaches
and mentors-not directors. The command and control manager is a dinosaur.
There is no longer a place in our progressive organizations for this manager.
Instead, our businesses need managers that can fill the new need for these
new roles - those of coach and mentor.
Most managers today were trained in the old management styles. This is the
environment in which today's managers matured and this is what they
imitate. Many traditional managers aspired to the command and control
manager. Now that they are there, they find these management skills are
obsolete. These skills do not fit today's organizations. It is time to move on
and accept the need to change. This requires, then, that managers consciously
decide to acquire new skills and set aside the quot;oldquot; skills no longer
appropriate given the environment existing in business today.
The most basic foundation of a good guider, as a manager, is the belief this is
the best approach to managing employees. To be a good guider requires hard

12. work, but the benefits of improved performance by employees are great - for
the manager, the employee and the organization.
The job as a manager is to get things done. However, it also means getting
things done through others. When you give orders, you limit the group to
your level of expertise. When you guide your employees, you let the
employees contribute whatever they can. However, it also might be better
than your idea. When that happens, the managers have an employee who
feels involved and motivated and you look smarter.
In controlling, managers evaluate how well the organization is achieving its
goals and takes corrective action to improve performance.
Managers will monitor individuals, departments, and the organization to
determine if desired performance has been reached. Managers will also take
action to increase performance as required.
The outcome of the controlling function is the accurate measurement of
performance and regulation of efficiency and effectiveness.
Whereas the guider empowers employees. Rather than exerting control over
workers, this manager sets employees up to manage themselves. This means
giving up control. This helps create a climate of trust and mutual respect
where employees can take risks without fear-such as trying new ideas.
So hence, a manager must study the situation and then decides whether to
guide the employees or to have a control over the employees. If the employees
are highly skilled then he need not have a control over them.
Hence both plays a important role in the organization and without which the
organization cannot achieve its objectives.

13. REFERENCES
Management and Organization - Louis Allen
Principles of Management – Koontz and O’Donnell
www.managementhelp.com
www.csupomona.edu
www.employeefactor.com