The Four Functions of Management

Management can be defined as creative problem solving. It is not linked to one specific type of firm or corporation. However, management is universal if the manager has become familiar with the specific situation in which it is applied. There are four basic functions of management; planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. These functions are essential to building stronger teams and organizations. I will elaborate on these functions independently, but in reality they are inseparable and interdependent. A manager can not say, "I am going to plan in the morning, direct before lunch, organize between 1 pm and 2 pm, and make changes by 5pm. Good management can map out a path to success whereas poor management may lead to failure and possible collapse. By considering the roles of a successful manager we can learn to do things both effectively and efficiently.

Planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals. Imagine taking a vacation for one week to Hawaii without planning. The vacation may lead into a financial bind or into more disaster. Planning involves 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 (Bateman, Snell, 2004). For example, a coach for a professional football league does not tell his players to just go win. He will carefully watch another team at their best and plan his playbook accordingly. Plans set the stage for actions and for major achievements. Before the beginning of my daily shift, I have to cautiously call my play of the day. This step involves setting goals that brings revenue to the company.

Organizing is assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals. Organizing activities include attracting people to the organization, specifying job responsibilities, grouping jobs into work units, marshaling and allocating resources, and creating conditions so that people and things work together to achieve maximum success.

Leading is stimulating people to be high performers. For instance, take that same football coach we discussed earlier, what good would he be if he was performing on the playfield? A manager should be comparable to a coach. A manager should stand on the sidelines, directing, motivating, and communicating