Directing Function of Management

Directing unpredictable, direction function becomes

important.
DIRECTING is said to be a process in
4. Creative Activity - Direction function helps
which the managers instruct, guide and oversee
in converting plans into performance.
the performance of the workers to achieve
Without this function, people become
predetermined goals.
inactive and physical resources are
Directing is said to be the heart of meaningless.
management process. Planning, organizing, 5. Executive Function - Direction function is
staffing have got no importance if direction carried out by all managers and executives
function does not take place. at all levels throughout the working of an
enterprise, a subordinate receives
Directing initiates action and it is from instructions from his superior only.
here actual work starts. Direction is said to be 6. Delegate Function - Direction is supposed
consisting of human factors. In simple words, it to be a function dealing with human
can be described as providing guidance to beings. Human behaviour is unpredictable
workers is doing work. by nature and conditioning the people’s
In field of management, direction is said behaviour towards the goals of the
to be all those activities which are designed to enterprise is what the executive does in
encourage the subordinates to work effectively this function. Therefore, it is termed as
and efficiently. having delicacy in it to tackle human
behaviour.
According to Human, “Directing consists
of process or technique by which instruction can Importance of Directing Function
be issued and operations can be carried out as Directing or Direction function is said to
originally planned” be the heart of management of process and
Therefore, Directing is the function of therefore, is the central point around which
guiding, inspiring, overseeing and instructing accomplishment of goals take place. A few
people towards accomplishment of philosophers call Direction as “Life spark of an
organizational goals. enterprise”. It is also called as on actuating
function of management because it is through
Direction has got following characteristics: direction that the operation of an enterprise
1. Pervasive Function - Directing is required actually starts. Being the central character of
at all levels of organization. Every manager enterprise, it provides many benefits to a
provides guidance and inspiration to his concern which are as follows:
subordinates. 1. It Initiates Actions - Directions is the
2. Continuous Activity - Direction is a function which is the starting point of the
continuous activity as it continuous work performance of subordinates. It is
throughout the life of organization. from this function the action takes place,
3. Human Factor - Directing function is subordinates understand their jobs and do
related to subordinates and therefore it is according to the instructions laid. Whatever
related to human factor. Since human are plans laid, can be implemented only
factor is complex and behaviour is
 Directing Function of Management
once the actual work starts. It is there that to meet with changes in environment, both
direction becomes beneficial. internal as external.
2. It Ingrates Efforts - Through direction, the
Effective communication helps in coping
superiors are able to guide, inspire and
up with the changes. It is the role of
instruct the subordinates to work. For this,
manager here to communicate the nature
efforts of every individual towards
and contents of changes very clearly to the
accomplishment of goals are required. It is
subordinates. This helps in clarifications,
through direction the efforts of every
easy adaptions and smooth running of an
department can be related and integrated
enterprise. For example, if a concern shifts
with others. This can be done through
from handlooms to powerlooms, an
persuasive leadership and effective
important change in technique of
communication. Integration of efforts bring
production takes place. The resulting
effectiveness and stability in a concern.
factors are less of manpower and more of
3. Means of Motivation - Direction function
machinery. This can be resisted by the
helps in achievement of goals. A manager
subordinates. The manager here can
makes use of the element of motivation
explain that the change was in the benefit
here to improve the performances of
of the subordinates. Through more
subordinates. This can be done by providing
mechanization, production increases and
incentives or compensation, whether
thereby the profits. Indirectly, the
monetary or non - monetary, which serves
subordinates are benefited out of that in
as a “Morale booster” to the subordinates
form of higher remuneration.
Motivation is also helpful for the
subordinates to give the best of their 6. Efficient Utilization of Resources - Direction
abilities which ultimately helps in growth. finance helps in clarifying the role of every
4. It Provides Stability - Stability and balance subordinate towards his work. The
in concern becomes very important for long resources can be utilized properly only
term sun survival in the market. This can be when less of wastages, duplication of
brought upon by the managers with the efforts, overlapping of performances, etc.,
help of four tools or elements of direction doesn’t take place.
function - judicious blend of persuasive
leadership, effective communication, strict Through direction, the role of
supervision and efficient motivation. subordinates become clear as manager
Stability is very important since that is an makes use of his supervisory, the guidance,
index of growth of an enterprise. Therefore the instructions and motivation skill to
a manager can use of all the four traits in inspire the subordinates. This helps in
him so that performance standards can be maximum possible utilization of resources
maintained. of men, machine, materials and money
5. Coping up with the changes - It is a human which helps in reducing costs and increasing
behaviour that human beings show profits.
resistance to change. Adaptability with From the above discussion, one can justify
changing environment helps in sustaining that direction, surely, is the heart of
planned growth and becoming a market management process. Heart plays an important
leader. It is directing function which is of use role in a human body as it serves the function
 Directing Function of Management
pumping blood to all parts of body which makes 2. As a Manager - It is righty said that a
the parts function. In the similar manner, supervisor is a part of the management
direction helps the subordinates to perform in team of an enterprise. He is, in fact, an
best of their abilities and that too in a healthy operative manager.
environment. The manager makes use of the 3. As a Guide and Leader - A factory
four elements of direction here so that work can supervisor leads the workers by guiding
be accomplished in a proper and right manner. them the way of perform their daily tasks.
In fact, he plays a role of an inspirer by
According to Earnest Dale, “Directing is
telling them.
what has to be done and in what manner
4. As a Mediator - A Supervisor is called a
through dictating the procedures and policies
linking pin between management and
for accomplishing performance standards”.
workers. He is the spokesperson of
Therefore, it is rightly said that direction is
management as well as worker.
essence of management process.
5. As an Inspector - An important role of
Role of a Supervisor supervisor is to enforce discipline in the
factory. For this, the work includes
Supervisor has got an important role to checking progress of work against the time
play in factory management. Supervision means schedule, recording the work
overseeing the subordinates at work at the performances at regular intervals and
factory level. reporting the deviations if any from those.
The supervisor is a part of the He can also frame rules and regulations
management team and he holds the designation which have to be followed by workers
of first line managers. He/She is a person who during their work.
has to perform many functions which helps in 6. As a Counselor - A supervisor plays the role
achieving productivity. of a counselor to the worker’s problem. He
has to perform this role in order to build
Therefore, supervisor can be called as good relations and co-operation from
the only manager who has an important role at workers. This can be done not only by
execution level. There are certain philosophers listening to the grievances but also
who call supervisors as workers. There are yet handling the grievances and satisfying the
some more philosophers who call them as workers.
managers. But actually he should be called as a
manager or operative manager. His primary job Therefore, we can say that effective and
is to manage the workers at operative level of efficient supervision helps in serving better work
management. performance, building good human relations,
creating a congenial and co-operative
A supervisor plays multiplinary role at environment. This all helps in increasing
one time like - productivity.
1. As a Planner - A supervisor has to plan the
daily work schedules in the factory. At the
same time he has to divide the work to
various workers according to their abilities.
 Directing Function of Management
Functions of a Supervisor i. Recording the actual performance
against the time schedule.
Supervisor, being the manager in a direct
ii. Checking of progress of work.
contact with the operatives, has got multifarious
iii. Finding out deviations if any and
function to perform. The objective behind
making solutions
performance of these functions is to bring
iv. If not independently solved,
stability and soundness in the organization which
reporting it to top management.
can be secured through increase in profits which
6. Linking Pin - A supervisor proves to be a
is an end result of higher productivity. Therefore,
linking pin between management and
a supervisor should be concerned with
workers. He communicates the policies of
performing the following functions –
management to workers also passes
1. Planning and Organizing - Supervisor’s instructions to them on behalf of
basic role is to plan the daily work schedule management. On the other hand, he has a
of the workers by guiding them the nature close contact with the workers and
of their work and also dividing the work therefore can interact the problems,
amongst the workers according to their complaints, suggestions, etc to the
interests, aptitudes, skills and interests. management. In this way, he communicates
2. Provision of working conditions - A workers problems and brings it to the notice
supervisor plays an important role in the of management.
physical setting of the factory and in 7. Grievance Handling - The supervisor can
arranging the physical resources at right handle the grievances of the workers
place. This involves providing proper sitting effectively for this he has to do the following
place, ventilation, lighting, water facilities things :-
etc. to workers. His main responsibility is i. He can be in direct touch with
here to provide healthy and hygienic workers.
condition to the workers. ii. By winning the confidence of the
3. Leadership and Guidance - A supervisor is workers by solving their problems.
the leader of workers under him. He leads iii. By taking worker problems on
the workers and influences them to work humanitarian grounds.
their best. He also guides the workers by iv. If he cannot tackle it independently,
fixing production targets and by providing he can take the help and advice of
them instruction and guidelines to achieve management to solve it.
those targets. 8. Reporting - A supervisor has got an
4. Motivation - A supervisor plays an important role to report about the cost,
important role by providing different quality and any such output which can be
incentives to workers to perform better. responsible for increasing productivity.
There are different monetary and non- Factors like cost, output, performance,
monetary incentives which can inspire the quality, etc can be reported continually to
workers to work better. the management.
5. Controlling - Controlling is an important 9. Introducing new work methods - The
function performed by supervisor. This will supervisor here has to be conscious about
involve the environment of market and competition
present. Therefore he can innovate the
 Directing Function of Management
techniques of production. He can shift the
workers into fresh schedules whenever
possible. He can also try this best to keep on
changing and improving to the physical
environment around the workers. This will
result in
i. Higher productivity,
ii. High Morale of Workers,
iii. Satisfying working condition,
iv. Improving human relations,
v. Higher Profits, and
vi. High Stability
10. Enforcing Discipline - A supervisor can
undertake many steps to maintain discipline
in the concern by regulating checks and
measures, strictness in orders and
instructions, keeping an account of general
discipline of factory, implementing
penalties and punishments for the
indiscipline workers. All these above steps
help in improving the overall discipline of
the factory