Essential Elements of

Management

by

Dr. Ahmad Mahmood

Planning
• Planning is one of the four functions of management, along with
organizing, leading, and controlling.

• Planning involves defining goals, objectives, and strategies to achieve

those goals.

• For engineering students, it is essential to understand the planning

element of management as it can help them in their future roles as
engineering managers or leaders.

• Effective planning can help ensure project success and maximize

resources.
Planning
Importance of Planning:
Effective planning is critical in engineering projects as it can help ensure project
success and maximize resources. Some of the key benefits of planning include:

• Setting Goals and Objectives: Planning helps in setting clear goals and objectives
for the project, which enables team members to focus their efforts and work
towards achieving those goals.

• Resource Allocation: Planning helps in allocating resources efficiently and

effectively, which can help minimize waste and reduce costs.

• Risk Management: Planning helps in identifying potential risks and developing

strategies to mitigate those risks, which can help ensure project success.

• Communication: Planning helps in communicating project goals, objectives, and

strategies to team members and stakeholders, which can help ensure everyone is
on the same page and working towards the same goals.
Planning
Steps in the Planning Process:
The planning process involves several steps that are critical to developing an effective plan.
Some of the common steps in the planning process include:

• Defining Goals and Objectives: The first step in the planning process is to define the
project's goals and objectives.

• Conducting a Situation Analysis: The next step is to conduct a situation analysis, which
involves assessing the internal and external factors that can impact the project's success.

• Developing Strategies: Based on the situation analysis, the next step is to develop strategies
to achieve the project's goals and objectives.

• Allocating Resources: The next step is to allocate resources, including people, time, and
money, to implement the strategies.

• Developing Action Plans: The final step is to develop action plans, which outline specific
tasks, timelines, and responsibilities for achieving the project's goals and objectives.
Planning
Tools and Techniques for Planning:
There are various tools and techniques that engineering managers can use to
develop effective plans. Some of the common tools and techniques include:

• Gantt Charts: Gantt charts are visual tools that help in scheduling tasks and
timelines for the project.

• SWOT Analysis: SWOT analysis is a tool that helps in assessing the project's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

• Risk Management: Risk management involves identifying potential risks and

developing strategies to mitigate those risks.

• Cost-benefit Analysis: Cost-benefit analysis is a tool that helps in assessing the

costs and benefits of different strategies and making informed decisions.
Organizing
• Organizing is one of the four functions of management, along with
planning, leading, and controlling.

• Organizing involves arranging resources and activities to achieve the

project's goals and objectives.

• For engineering students, it is essential to understand the organizing

element of management as it can help them in their future roles as
engineering managers or leaders.

• Effective organizing can help ensure project success and maximize

resources.
Organizing
Importance of Organizing:

Effective organizing is critical in engineering projects as it can help ensure project

success and maximize resources. Some of the key benefits of organizing include:

• Resource Allocation: Organizing helps in allocating resources efficiently and

effectively, which can help minimize waste and reduce costs.

• Teamwork: Organizing helps in creating a teamwork environment where team

members work together to achieve the project's goals and objectives.

• Task Assignment: Organizing helps in assigning tasks to team members based on their
skills and expertise, which can help ensure that each task is completed efficiently and
effectively.

• Communication: Organizing helps in creating clear communication channels between

team members and stakeholders, which can help ensure that everyone is on the same
page and working towards the same goals.
Organizing
Steps in the Organizing Process:

The organizing process involves several steps that are critical to developing an effective
organizational structure. Some of the common steps in the organizing process include:

• Identifying Tasks: The first step in the organizing process is to identify the tasks that need to be
completed to achieve the project's goals and objectives.

• Grouping Tasks: The next step is to group similar tasks together and identify the skills and
expertise required to complete those tasks.

• Creating an Organizational Structure: Based on the task groups and required skills and expertise,
the next step is to create an organizational structure that outlines the roles and responsibilities of
each team member.

• Assigning Tasks: The next step is to assign tasks to team members based on their skills and
expertise.

• Communication: The final step is to establish clear communication channels between team
members and stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Organizing
Tools and Techniques for Organizing:

There are various tools and techniques that engineering managers can use to develop an
effective organizational structure. Some of the common tools and techniques include:

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): WBS is a tool that helps in breaking down
complex projects into smaller, more manageable tasks.

• Organizational Charts: Organizational charts are visual tools that help in outlining the
roles and responsibilities of each team member and the overall organizational
structure.

• Matrix Organizational Structure: Matrix organizational structure is a structure that

combines functional and project-based organizational structures to maximize resources
and improve communication.

• Team Building Activities: Team building activities can help improve teamwork and
communication between team members.
Leading
• Leading is an important element of management that involves guiding and
directing people towards achieving organizational goals.

• For engineering students, it is essential to understand the leading element of

management as it can help them in their future roles as engineering managers or
leaders.

• Effective leading is crucial in engineering as it can help ensure project success

and motivate team members.
Leading
Traits of Effective Engineering Leader:

• Technical Knowledge: Effective engineering leaders have technical expertise in their

field, which enables them to make informed decisions and guide team members in
technical matters.

• Communication Skills: Effective engineering leaders must have excellent

communication skills to convey technical information to team members and
stakeholders.

• Collaboration Skills: Effective engineering leaders must be skilled in collaborating

with team members, stakeholders, and other departments to achieve project goals.

• Adaptability: Engineering projects can be unpredictable, and effective leaders must be

adaptable and able to respond to changes quickly.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Effective engineering leaders must have strong problem-

solving skills to identify and solve complex engineering problems.
Leading
Leadership Styles:

There are various leadership styles, and effective engineering leaders must choose
the style that best suits the project goals and team members' needs. Some of the
common leadership styles include:

• Transformational: In a transformational leadership style, the leader inspires and

motivates team members to achieve project goals.

• Transactional: In a transactional leadership style, the leader provides rewards and

punishments to motivate team members.

• Servant: In a servant leadership style, the leader focuses on serving the needs of
team members to achieve project goals.

• Situational: In a situational leadership style, the leader adapts their leadership style
to suit the situation and team members' needs.
Controlling
• Controlling is one of the four functions of management, along with planning,
leading, and organizing.

• Controlling involves monitoring and measuring the performance of the project

and taking corrective action if necessary.

• For engineering students, it is essential to understand the controlling element of

management as it can help them in their future roles as engineering managers or
leaders.

• Effective controlling can help ensure project success and identify areas for
improvement.
Controlling
Importance of Controlling:

Some of the key benefits of controlling include:

• Performance Measurement: Controlling helps in measuring the project's performance

against the project goals and objectives, which can help identify areas for
improvement.

• Corrective Action: Controlling helps in identifying problems and taking corrective

action to ensure that the project stays on track.

• Resource Optimization: Controlling helps in optimizing resources by identifying areas

where resources are being wasted and reallocating those resources to areas that need
more support.

• Feedback: Controlling provides feedback to team members, which can help them
understand how well they are performing and what they need to do to improve.
Controlling
Steps in the Controlling Process:

Some of the common steps in the controlling process include:

• Establishing Standards: The first step in the controlling process is to establish

standards against which the project's performance will be measured.

• Measuring Performance: The next step is to measure the project's performance against
the established standards.

• Comparing Performance: The next step is to compare the project's performance against
the established standards to identify areas for improvement.

• Taking Corrective Action: The next step is to take corrective action if necessary to
ensure that the project stays on track.

• Feedback: The final step is to provide feedback to team members to help them
improve their performance.
Controlling
Tools and Techniques for Controlling:

Some of the common tools and techniques include:

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): KPIs are measurable values that help in
determining how well the project is performing against the established standards.

• Earned Value Management (EVM): EVM is a technique that helps in measuring

the project's progress against the established schedule and budget.

• Quality Control: Quality control involves measuring the quality of the project's
output against established standards.

• Feedback Mechanisms: Feedback mechanisms can include regular team meetings,

one-on-one discussions with team members, and performance reviews.
Thanks ☺