Functions of Management

Functions of Management

There are many management styles, some more effective and efficient than others. The most successful managers have the ability to lead their teams to meet the company's goals. Great managers use four fundamental management practices: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This, in fact, is the definition of management. I will define these fundamental practices and discuss how each relates to my organization.

Once the company goal is clearly communicated to the manager, a plan must be developed to achieve the goal in the most efficient and effective manner. According to Bateman-Snell's Management: The New Competitive Landscape, "Planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals". (15) This is the most critical and time-consuming part of management in my organization. We spend weeks at the beginning of each year preparing our budget and planning how we are going to meet the expectations of the company in the years to come. Regardless of how well we plan, it becomes difficult to foresee all the obstacles that will come up during the year. We meet daily to discuss what we are working on, and the way that activity will contribute to the facility achieving the goals that were set. Our plan will change throughout the year, because unplanned issues that arise and we must keep the teams on track. Planning is the most critical management practice, in my opinion, and we spent a considerable amount of time planning every year. The plan is our guide to get us to our goals.

After we decide on a plan, we must organize our resources that will assist us in achieving the goal. Organization is "...assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources need to achieve the goal". (15) The department managers develop the management plan and organize their prospective departments to help achieve the goal. Each manager will communicate the company goal and the plan for the year to the staff. Each department will then determine the needs to execute the plan. For example in my department, human resources, this may be hiring new employees, or training existing employees so they can execute the plan effectively. Organization is the vehicle that we will use to follow the plan to achieve the goal.

The next management function, leading, is to get the team motivated to follow the plan and achieving the goal. Leading is "...stimulating people to be high performers". (15) There are many methods managers use to lead their teams.

One method we use is, conducting brainstorming meetings where the company goal as it relates to my department is discussed and a department plan is developed. This helps motivate the team because they help create the plan they will use to achieve the goal. The team takes ownership of the plan and the success or failure of the team's performance towards the goal. Managers also lead by removing barriers that might keep the team from