Knowing the Elements of Directing

Knowing the Elements of Directing

Directing is a management function that assists in guiding and leading people to work to perform efficiently and effectively to achieve organisational goals. Direction is a factor of every managerial activity: Motivation, supervision, leadership and communication are referred to as directing elements. These four factors contribute to the achievement of organisational objectives. The ability to direct is an important management skill. It is appropriately referred to as the “heart” of the management process because it is focused on taking action. It encompasses all activities aimed at influencing, guiding, or supervising subordinates in the course of their work.

Examples of elements of directing

There are four main elements of directing. They are as follows:

Supervision

Supervision refers to monitoring and appropriately guiding subordinates’ normal work progress. It is a crucial part of management’s directing function. The essential functions of a supervisor include control, best resource utilisation, discipline, evaluation, and increased communication. Face-to-face interaction between the supervisor and associates is also a must in this directing element. A supervisor must perform all of these functions adequately because achieving corporate goals depends on that person. 

Communication

Communication is the skill of conveying information, such as facts, ideas, and feelings, from one person to another and ensuring that they are understood. Managers must always instruct their employees on what and how to do it and when to do it? 

It’s also critical to understand the employees’ reactions once communication is done. This is why all of these activities necessitate adequate telecommunications infrastructure. Communication instils a sense of cooperation in the workplace since it fosters mutual understanding. Mutual understanding, in turn, creates a collaborative environment. It’s a two-way process where the sender sends the message and receives it.

Communication in the organisation is done in both official and informal ways. The scalar chain shows the organisation’s orderly flow of information.

Leadership

When it comes to directing, leadership is inseparable. Managers may instil trust and zeal in their subordinates only if they themselves possess the same quality. An excellent leader is someone who knows where they’re going and can point the team in the right direction. 

A leader’s role in the organisation is limited to one: directing, which includes giving orders, observing employees, and providing guidance.

The following are examples of leadership styles:

• Autocratic, Boss-centred leadership
• Style of participative leadership where the focus is on the group
• Information and resource-provider in a free-rein leadership style

Motivation

Motivation refers to the mechanism that motivates people to strive toward a common goal. Since the human factor is active and provides mobility to other physical resources among the many factors of production, it is critical to encourage human resources to keep them active, informed, and willing to fulfil their duties. 

For instance, employees are rewarded with both monetary and non-monetary incentives to keep them motivated. The following are some characteristics associated with motivation:

• Motivation is a psychological phenomenon that encompasses interior impulses like need and desire.
• Objective-directed behaviour in motivation describes how people behave at work to achieve a specific goal.
• Motivation can be positive, such as a promotion, incentive, bonus, or increment, or negative, such as warnings, demotions, or the cessation of increments.
• Because demands are limitless and always changing depending on the environment, motivation is dynamic and continual. As a result, managers must undertake duties connected to motivation to motivate personnel to achieve their objectives. 

Principles of Directing

The following are the directing principles:

Maximum individual contribution

Individual participation is one of the most important aspects of directing. Therefore, management should implement rules that encourage people to give their full potential to achieve organisational objectives on an individual scale. 

Objectives that are in sync

There are occasions when corporate and individual goals clash. For example, the company wants to expand profits while keeping a large percentage of the earnings, whereas the employees believe they should get a large share as a bonus because they worked hard for it. In this case, directing is critical in generating harmony and coordination between the goals of both sides. 

Command unity

According to this principle, a subordinate should only receive orders from one superior at the moment. If an employee gets instructions from multiple superiors simultaneously, the organisation will be confused, conflicted, and disordered, and they will be unable to prioritise their work.

Appropriate directional techniques 

According to this theory, managers should utilise proper direction strategies to oversee, lead, communicate, and inspire people based on their requirements, capabilities, attitudes, and other situational circumstances.

Communication in management

According to this principle, it is necessary to guarantee that the instructions are communicated to the employees and that they understand the same meaning intended to be expressed. 

Incorporation of informal organisation

There is an informal group or organisation within every formal organisation. Those groups should be identified and used to communicate information by the manager. There should be a free flow of information between superiors and subordinates, as a successful interchange of information is critical for an organisation’s progress.

Conclusion

Direction is a management job primarily performed at higher levels of management and has a ripple effect down to lower levels. It is the function that initiates and begins action toward a set objective or goal. 

It is a continuing process that exists as long as the business exists. It offers significance to planning and organisation by pulling the entire organisation together to work toward a common objective. 

Many management theorists believe that there are four main management functions: Planning, organising, directing, and controlling. In any business, directing is a crucial function. 

Directing aids managers in ensuring high-quality performance and achieving the company’s objectives. Supervising, motivating, leading, and communicating are the four fundamentals of directing.