Functions of Management

The four functions of management are the foundations of a successful and efficient manager of people and resources. Theses four functions include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. If all four tools are utilized together the chances for an effective manager are dramatically increased. However, if even one these functions are neglected from a manager's repertoire then difficult times can be expected.

Planning is defined as specifying the goals to be achieved and decided in advance and determining the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals. (Bateman, Snell) A good manager must begin by observing the situation and deciding what the ultimate goal or what parameters must be met to be considered successful. In most cases the top executives within an organization collaborate upon this process. This can be described as the top-down approach as upper-management dictates to their employees what their required tasks are. But in today's business environment more and more companies consider the input of all employees important and take their suggestions into consideration when deciding upon a plan of action. This method empowers the everyday worker and gives them a sense of belonging and importance to the company. Offices now tend to be more democratic as opposed to more traditional upper management dictatorships.

Organizing is the next step in the management functions process. This is where the ideas for success are broken down into details to fully explain the plan. The organizing phase is essentially the how and what it is going to take to complete the task at hand. Deciding what resources are needed and who or what department will be responsible are all part of the organizational process. The planning phase conceptualizes and the organization phase lays the foundations and building blocks for achievement.

The next function is leadership. This function of management motivates employees to be their best at what they do. This function gives employees a purpose so they have the sense that they are an important piece to the overall success of the business. Motivation is not simply to act as a cheerleader but more importantly this skill requires management intuition and awareness. Awareness meaning the capability to see each employee's strength and to take advantage of his or her abilities for the overall well-being of the organization.

Controlling is the function of being