Friday 22 January 2021

CH 10 Directing

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L-11- 

DIRECTING

 

INTRODUCTION

Introduction:

Directing is a crucial function of management that focuses on guiding and leading individuals and teams to accomplish organizational goals. It involves providing instructions, motivation, and communication to ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities and work towards achieving desired outcomes. Directing is an essential component of the management process, along with planning, organizing, and controlling.

 

In the context of directing, managers play a key role in influencing and shaping the behavior and performance of employees. They provide guidance, set expectations, and create an environment conducive to productivity and success. Effective directing requires strong leadership skills, communication abilities, and the ability to motivate and inspire others.

The directing function involves various activities such as providing clear instructions, setting goals, allocating resources, monitoring performance, and providing feedback. Managers must effectively communicate organizational objectives, policies, and procedures to ensure that employees are aligned with the overall mission and vision of the organization. They also need to foster a positive work culture, encourage teamwork, and address any conflicts or issues that may arise.

Overall, directing is essential for ensuring that the efforts of individuals and teams are channeled in the right direction and aligned with the organization's goals and objectives. It helps create a sense of purpose, direction, and engagement among employees, leading to increased productivity and success for the organization as a whole.

MEANING AND DEFINITION OF DIRECTING

Directing is a managerial function that involves guiding, leading, and supervising employees to achieve organizational goals. It is the process of instructing, motivating, and communicating with employees to ensure their efforts are aligned with the overall objectives of the organization. The primary objective of directing is to channel the behavior of individuals and teams towards the accomplishment of predetermined goals.

In a broader sense, directing encompasses various activities, including:

Providing guidance: Managers provide clear directions, instructions, and guidance to employees regarding their roles, responsibilities, and tasks. This involves setting expectations, clarifying objectives, and outlining the steps to be taken to achieve desired outcomes.

Leadership and motivation: Directing involves exercising leadership by inspiring and motivating employees to perform at their best. Managers use various techniques to encourage and energize their team members, such as recognizing achievements, providing feedback, and creating a positive work environment.

Communication: Effective communication is crucial in directing. Managers need to communicate goals, strategies, and expectations clearly to ensure that employees understand their roles and the importance of their contributions. They also need to listen to feedback and provide necessary information to foster a collaborative and productive work environment.

Supervision and control: Managers monitor and evaluate the performance of employees to ensure that work is being done efficiently and effectively. They provide feedback, correct deviations, and take corrective actions when necessary to keep the activities on track.

Decision-making: Directing involves making decisions related to resource allocation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. Managers need to make informed choices and resolve any conflicts that may arise among team members.

The ultimate aim of directing is to guide employees towards the achievement of organizational goals by utilizing their skills, talents, and efforts effectively. It plays a vital role in maintaining coordination, maximizing productivity, and creating a positive work culture within the organization.

FEATURES/NATURE OF DIRECTING

Features/Nature of Directing:

Guiding and Leading: Directing involves guiding and leading individuals and teams towards the achievement of organizational goals. Managers provide guidance, instructions, and support to employees to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities and work towards desired outcomes.

Communication: Communication is a fundamental aspect of directing. Managers must effectively communicate goals, expectations, instructions, and feedback to employees. Clear and open communication helps in aligning everyone's efforts and promoting understanding within the organization.

Motivation: Directing includes motivating employees to perform at their best. Managers use various motivational techniques, such as recognition, rewards, and incentives, to inspire employees and create a positive work environment. Motivated employees are more likely to be productive and committed to achieving organizational objectives.

Leadership: Directing requires effective leadership skills. Managers need to demonstrate leadership qualities such as vision, decisiveness, and the ability to influence others. They must set an example, inspire trust, and provide guidance to their subordinates.

Delegation: Delegation is an important aspect of directing. Managers delegate tasks and authority to employees based on their skills and capabilities. By delegating responsibilities, managers empower employees and enable them to contribute to the organization's success.

Coordination: Directing involves coordinating the activities of different individuals and teams to ensure they work together towards common goals. Managers need to facilitate collaboration and teamwork, resolve conflicts, and ensure smooth coordination among various departments and functions.

Feedback and Evaluation: Directing includes providing regular feedback and evaluating the performance of employees. Managers assess progress, provide constructive feedback, and identify areas for improvement. This helps employees understand their strengths and weaknesses and encourages continuous learning and development.

Adaptability: Directing requires adaptability in responding to changing circumstances and dynamics within the organization. Managers must be flexible and adjust their directing approach based on individual and situational needs to maximize effectiveness.

Continuous Process: Directing is an ongoing process that happens throughout the management cycle. It is not a one-time activity but requires consistent attention and effort from managers to ensure employees remain focused, motivated, and aligned with organizational goals.

Overall, directing is a dynamic and multifaceted function of management that involves guiding, leading, motivating, and coordinating individuals and teams to achieve desired outcomes. It plays a crucial role in ensuring organizational success and creating a positive work environment.

IMPORTANCE BENEFITS OF DIRECTING

The importance and benefits of directing in an organization are:

Goal Achievement: Directing plays a vital role in aligning the efforts of employees towards achieving organizational goals. It provides clarity of purpose and direction to employees, ensuring that their actions are focused and in line with the overall objectives of the organization.

Employee Motivation and Engagement: Effective directing helps in motivating and engaging employees. By providing clear expectations, feedback, and support, managers can inspire employees to perform at their best. This leads to increased job satisfaction, higher levels of engagement, and improved productivity.

Optimal Resource Utilization: Directing ensures that resources, such as human capital, time, and materials, are utilized efficiently and effectively. By guiding employees and coordinating their efforts, managers can allocate resources in a manner that maximizes output and minimizes waste.

Improved Communication: Directing facilitates effective communication within the organization. Managers communicate goals, expectations, instructions, and feedback to employees, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Clear and open communication helps to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and enhances collaboration.

Development of Employees: Directing provides opportunities for the development and growth of employees. Through regular feedback and coaching, managers can identify areas for improvement and provide necessary training and support. This helps employees enhance their skills, knowledge, and abilities, benefiting both the individual and the organization.

Team Building and Collaboration: Directing fosters team building and collaboration among employees. By promoting a positive work environment, managers can encourage teamwork, cooperation, and mutual support. This leads to improved communication, synergy, and the ability to achieve complex tasks collectively.

Adaptability to Change: Directing helps the organization adapt to changes in the external environment. Effective direction enables managers to respond to market trends, technological advancements, and other external factors by guiding employees towards new goals and strategies.

Employee Empowerment: Directing involves delegating authority and responsibility to employees. This empowers them to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Empowered employees feel a sense of ownership and are more motivated and engaged in their roles.

Efficient Decision-Making: Directing facilitates efficient decision-making within the organization. By providing guidance and support, managers empower employees to make informed decisions within their areas of responsibility. This decentralization of decision-making leads to quicker responses, increased employee satisfaction, and improved organizational agility.

Overall, directing is crucial for the effective functioning of an organization. It ensures goal alignment, employee motivation, resource optimization, and effective communication, resulting in improved performance, employee satisfaction, and organizational success.

PRINCIPLES OF DIRECTING

The principles of directing guide managers in effectively carrying out the directing function in an organization. Here are some commonly recognized principles of directing:

 

Unity of Direction: The principle of unity of direction emphasizes the need for all activities and efforts within the organization to be aligned towards a common objective. It ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals and avoids conflicting directives.

Clarity of Objectives: Clear and specific objectives provide employees with a sense of direction and purpose. The principle of clarity of objectives emphasizes the importance of clearly communicating goals and expectations to employees, ensuring they understand what needs to be accomplished.

Effective Communication: Communication is essential for directing. The principle of effective communication emphasizes the need for clear, timely, and accurate communication between managers and employees. It ensures that information, instructions, and feedback are conveyed in a way that is understood and acted upon.

Flexibility: The principle of flexibility recognizes the dynamic nature of organizations and the need to adapt to changes. Managers should be flexible in their approach to directing, allowing for adjustments in plans, strategies, and methods as circumstances evolve.

Motivation and Employee Engagement: The principle of motivation highlights the importance of inspiring and motivating employees to perform at their best. Managers should use various motivational techniques, such as recognition, rewards, and opportunities for growth, to engage employees and enhance their commitment to the organization's goals.

Delegation and Empowerment: The principle of delegation emphasizes the importance of assigning appropriate authority and responsibility to employees. Managers should delegate tasks and decision-making authority to empower employees, enabling them to take ownership of their work and contribute to the organization's success.

Consistency and Fairness: The principle of consistency stresses the need for managers to apply policies, rules, and procedures consistently and fairly. Treating employees equitably and impartially promotes a positive work environment and enhances trust and employee morale.

Leadership and Role Modeling: Effective directing requires strong leadership skills. Managers should lead by example, exhibiting desirable behaviors and attitudes, and serve as role models for employees to follow.

These principles provide guidance for managers to effectively direct and lead their teams towards achieving organizational objectives while creating a positive work environment.

ELEMENTS OF DIRECTING

The elements of directing encompass the various components involved in the directing function of management. They include:

Leadership: Leadership is a key element of directing. It involves guiding and influencing others towards the achievement of organizational goals. Effective leadership inspires and motivates employees, sets a positive example, and provides guidance and support.

Communication: Communication is crucial in directing. It involves transmitting information, instructions, feedback, and ideas between managers and employees. Clear and effective communication ensures that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities and facilitates coordination and collaboration.

Motivation: Motivation is the process of stimulating and energizing employees to put forth their best efforts towards achieving organizational goals. Directing involves using various motivational techniques to inspire employees, recognize their contributions, and create a positive work environment.

Delegation: Delegation involves assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees. It is an essential element of directing as it empowers employees, encourages their development, and frees up managers' time to focus on more strategic activities.

Supervision: Supervision involves overseeing and monitoring the performance of employees. It includes providing guidance, feedback, and support to ensure that work is carried out effectively and efficiently. Effective supervision ensures that employees are on track and helps identify areas for improvement.

Coordination: Coordination is the process of harmonizing and integrating the activities of different individuals and departments within an organization. It involves ensuring that tasks are properly sequenced, resources are allocated efficiently, and efforts are synchronized to achieve common goals.

Decision-making: Decision-making is an integral part of directing. Managers need to make decisions regarding resource allocation, goal setting, problem-solving, and other aspects of directing. Effective decision-making involves analyzing information, considering alternatives, and choosing the best course of action.

Feedback: Feedback is an essential element of directing. It involves providing information to employees about their performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Timely and constructive feedback helps employees understand expectations, make necessary adjustments, and improve their performance.

These elements work together to guide and influence employees towards achieving organizational objectives. They are interrelated and require effective management to ensure smooth operations, employee engagement, and overall success.

 

Multiple Questions:

1. Directing in an organization focuses on:

a) Setting organizational goals

b) Allocating resources

c) Guiding and leading employees

d) Monitoring performance

2. Which of the following is NOT an element of directing?

a) Delegation

b) Decision-making

c) Planning

d) Supervision

3. The primary objective of directing is to:

a) Allocate resources efficiently

b) Motivate employees

c) Achieve organizational goals

d) Communicate effectively

4. Which principle of directing emphasizes the need for all activities and efforts within the organization to be aligned towards a common objective?

a) Unity of Direction

b) Clarity of Objectives

c) Effective Communication

d) Flexibility

5. What is the key element of directing that involves guiding and influencing others towards the achievement of organizational goals?

a) Leadership

b) Communication

c) Motivation

d) Delegation

6. Which element of directing involves assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees?

a) Leadership

b) Communication

c) Motivation

d) Delegation

 

True/False:

1.     Directing involves providing guidance and support to employees. (True/False)

2.     Communication is not an essential aspect of directing. (True/False)

3.     Delegation empowers employees and contributes to the organization's success. (True/False)

4.     Directing does not involve coordinating the activities of different individuals and teams. (True/False)

5.     Providing regular feedback and evaluation is not part of the directing function. (True/False)

6.     Clarity of objectives ensures that employees understand what needs to be accomplished. (True/False)

7.     Supervision involves providing guidance, feedback, and support to employees. (True/False)

8.     Coordination ensures that tasks are properly sequenced, resources are allocated efficiently, and efforts are synchronized. (True/False)

9.     Feedback helps employees understand expectations and improve their performance. (True/False)

 

VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q.1. Define direction as a function of management?

Ans. Direction, as a function of management, involves guiding and leading individuals and teams towards achieving organizational goals. It includes providing instructions, motivation, and communication to ensure employees understand their roles and responsibilities and work towards desired outcomes.

Q.2.Enumereate the elements of directing function of management?

Ans. The elements of the directing function of management include:

1.     Leadership

2.     Communication

3.     Motivation

4.     Delegation

5.     Supervision

6.     Coordination

7.     Decision-making

8.     Feedback

Q.3. Give three elements of directing?

Ans. The three elements of directing are:

1.     Leadership

2.     Communication

3.     Motivation

Q.4. Name the elements of directing?

Ans. The elements of directing include:

1.     Leadership

2.     Communication

3.     Motivation

4.     Delegation

5.     Supervision

6.     Coordination

7.     Decision-making

8.     Feedback

Q.5. Write two functions of directing?

Ans. Two functions of directing are:

Providing guidance and instructions: One function of directing is to provide clear guidance, instructions, and support to employees. Managers must communicate goals, expectations, and tasks effectively, ensuring that employees understand their roles and responsibilities. This function helps employees align their efforts towards achieving organizational objectives.

Motivating and inspiring employees: Another function of directing is to motivate and inspire employees to perform at their best. Managers use various motivational techniques such as recognition, rewards, and creating a positive work environment. By fostering employee motivation and engagement, directing helps boost productivity and create a committed workforce.

Q.6. Mention main features of direction?

Ans. The main features of direction are:

1.     Guiding and leading.

2.     Effective communication.

3.     Motivation.

4.     Delegation.

5.     Coordination.

6.     Feedback and evaluation.

7.     Adaptability.

Q.7. Mention the principles of directing?

Ans. The principles of directing are:

1.     Unity of Direction.

2.     Clarity of Objectives.

3.     Effective Communication.

4.     Flexibility.

5.     Motivation and Employee Engagement.

6.     Delegation and Empowerment.

7.     Consistency and Fairness.

8.     Leadership and Role Modeling.

 

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q.1. Direction is the least important function of management do you agree with this statement Give any two reasons in support of the your answer?

Ans. Alignment of Efforts: Direction plays a crucial role in aligning the efforts of individuals and teams towards organizational goals. It ensures that everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and objectives, and works in a coordinated manner. Without proper direction, employees may lack clarity and focus, leading to confusion and a lack of productivity.

Employee Motivation and Engagement: Direction involves motivating and engaging employees to perform at their best. Through effective communication, goal setting, and recognition of achievements, direction fosters a positive work environment and boosts employee morale. Engaged and motivated employees are more likely to be committed to the organization's success and contribute their best efforts.

These reasons highlight the importance of direction in guiding employees, aligning efforts, and creating a productive and motivated workforce, making it a vital function of management.

Q.2. Direction is the heart of the management process Elucidate?

Ans. Direction is indeed considered the heart of the management process. Here are a few points to elucidate the statement:

Guiding and Leading: Direction involves guiding and leading individuals and teams towards the accomplishment of organizational goals. Managers provide clear instructions, set expectations, and provide guidance to employees. They ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities, and work towards achieving desired outcomes. Effective direction helps in channeling the efforts of employees in the right direction.

Goal Orientation: Direction ensures that the efforts of individuals and teams are aligned with the overall objectives of the organization. It provides employees with a sense of purpose, direction, and focus. By communicating organizational goals and objectives, managers create a shared vision and motivate employees to work towards the same goal. Direction helps in translating strategic goals into actionable tasks and keeps everyone focused on achieving desired outcomes.

Motivation and Engagement: Direction plays a crucial role in motivating and engaging employees. Managers use various techniques to inspire and energize their team members. By recognizing achievements, providing feedback, and creating a positive work environment, managers enhance employee motivation and engagement. Motivated and engaged employees are more likely to be productive, innovative, and committed to the success of the organization.

Communication and Coordination: Direction involves effective communication and coordination within the organization. Managers communicate goals, strategies, and expectations clearly to employees, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. They also listen to feedback and provide necessary information to foster collaboration and coordination. By facilitating effective communication and coordination, direction helps in avoiding misunderstandings, conflicts, and promotes synergy among employees.

Performance Monitoring and Feedback: Direction includes monitoring the performance of employees and providing feedback. Managers evaluate progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide guidance to ensure that work is carried out efficiently and effectively. By providing timely feedback, managers help employees understand their strengths and weaknesses and encourage continuous learning and development.

Overall, direction is the heart of the management process as it guides and leads individuals and teams towards achieving organizational goals. It provides clarity, motivation, communication, and coordination, ensuring that the management process functions smoothly and effectively. Without proper direction, the management process would lack purpose, focus, and alignment, making it difficult to achieve desired outcomes.

Q.3. Direction is the essence of management process Explain?

Ans. Direction is indeed the essence of the management process. Here's an explanation to support this statement:

Purpose and Alignment: Direction provides purpose and clarity to the management process. It sets the overall direction and goals of the organization, guiding managers and employees towards a common objective. Without direction, management would lack a clear sense of purpose and would struggle to align efforts towards achieving organizational goals.

Guidance and Leadership: Direction involves providing guidance and leadership to individuals and teams. Managers play a crucial role in guiding employees, setting expectations, and providing necessary resources and support. They ensure that tasks are assigned, roles are defined, and employees understand their responsibilities. Effective direction helps in channeling efforts in the right direction and optimizing the use of resources.

Communication and Coordination: Direction promotes effective communication and coordination within the organization. Managers communicate goals, strategies, and expectations to employees, ensuring everyone is on the same page. They foster collaboration, exchange information, and facilitate coordination between different teams and departments. Direction ensures that information flows smoothly, avoiding miscommunication and promoting synergy among employees.

Motivation and Engagement: Direction plays a vital role in motivating and engaging employees. Managers use direction to inspire and energize individuals and teams towards achieving organizational goals. By providing a clear sense of direction and purpose, managers enhance employee motivation and commitment. Direction helps create a positive work environment that fosters engagement and encourages employees to perform at their best.

Performance Management: Direction includes monitoring and managing performance. Managers track progress, evaluate outcomes, and provide feedback to employees. They identify areas for improvement and take corrective actions when necessary. Direction ensures that performance is aligned with organizational goals and that individuals are accountable for their responsibilities.

Adaptability and Flexibility: Direction allows for adaptability and flexibility in the management process. As circumstances change, managers adjust the direction and strategies to respond to new challenges and opportunities. Direction provides a framework for making decisions and adapting to evolving situations while maintaining focus on organizational goals.

In summary, direction is the essence of the management process as it provides purpose, guidance, communication, coordination, motivation, and adaptability. It ensures that efforts are aligned, resources are utilized effectively, and goals are achieved. Without direction, the management process would lack direction, purpose, and effectiveness, hindering the organization's ability to succeed.

Q.4.What is directing state its essential elements?

Ans. Directing is a function of management that involves guiding and influencing individuals and teams towards the achievement of organizational goals. It encompasses various essential elements that contribute to its effectiveness. The essential elements of directing are as follows:

Leadership: Leadership is a fundamental element of directing. It involves providing guidance, inspiration, and motivation to individuals and teams. Effective leadership helps create a positive work environment, encourages employee engagement, and fosters a sense of direction and purpose.

Communication: Communication is crucial in directing. It involves transmitting information, instructions, feedback, and ideas between managers and employees. Clear and effective communication ensures that everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and the goals they need to accomplish. It facilitates coordination, collaboration, and a shared understanding within the organization.

Motivation: Motivation plays a vital role in directing. It involves stimulating and energizing individuals to put forth their best efforts towards achieving organizational goals. Managers use various motivational techniques such as recognition, rewards, and opportunities for growth to inspire employees, enhance their commitment, and foster a high level of performance.

Delegation: Delegation is an essential element of directing. It involves assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees. By delegating effectively, managers empower employees, encourage their development, and create a sense of ownership. Delegation also frees up managers' time to focus on more strategic activities, while individuals gain valuable experience and contribute to the organization's success.

Supervision: Supervision is another crucial element of directing. It involves overseeing and monitoring the performance of individuals and teams. Effective supervision includes providing guidance, feedback, and support to ensure that work is carried out efficiently and effectively. It helps identify areas for improvement, ensures adherence to organizational policies and procedures, and ensures that individuals stay on track towards achieving their goals.

Coordination: Coordination is essential in directing. It involves harmonizing and integrating the activities of different individuals and departments within the organization. Managers need to coordinate efforts, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure that tasks are properly sequenced to achieve common goals. Effective coordination promotes synergy, reduces duplication of efforts, and enhances overall organizational performance.

Decision-making: Decision-making is an integral part of directing. Managers need to make decisions related to resource allocation, goal setting, problem-solving, and other aspects of directing. Effective decision-making involves analyzing information, considering alternatives, and choosing the best course of action. Decision-making ensures that the organization moves forward and progresses towards its objectives.

These essential elements work together to facilitate effective directing, align efforts, motivate employees, foster communication and coordination, and ultimately drive the organization towards achieving its goals.

Q.5. How does direction help in initiating action and integration?

Ans. Direction plays a crucial role in initiating action and promoting integration within an organization. Here's how direction helps in these aspects:

Initiating Action: Direction provides the necessary guidance and instructions to initiate action. It clarifies the goals, objectives, and tasks that need to be accomplished. Through effective communication, managers convey the expectations and responsibilities to employees, outlining what needs to be done, when, and how. By providing a clear direction, managers enable employees to understand their roles and take the necessary steps to initiate action. This ensures that work is started promptly and in alignment with organizational goals.

Integration: Direction promotes integration by harmonizing the efforts of individuals and teams towards a common objective. It ensures that all activities and actions are coordinated and synchronized to achieve the desired outcomes. Through effective leadership, managers inspire and motivate employees to work collaboratively and in harmony. They encourage open communication, foster teamwork, and establish a shared sense of purpose and direction. By providing clear direction, managers facilitate the integration of efforts, resources, and talents within the organization, leading to enhanced coordination and synergy.

In summary, direction plays a vital role in initiating action by providing clarity and guidance on tasks and goals. It also fosters integration by aligning the efforts of individuals and teams towards a common objective, promoting collaboration, and facilitating effective communication. By facilitating both action initiation and integration, direction helps ensure that the organization operates cohesively and efficiently towards achieving its goals.

Q.6. Direction is important at all levels of management discuss briefly?

Ans. Direction is indeed important at all levels of management, from top-level executives to front-line supervisors. Here's a brief discussion on why direction is essential at each level:

Top-Level Management: At the top level, direction involves setting the overall direction, vision, and strategic objectives for the organization. Top-level managers provide guidance on long-term goals, major decisions, and organizational policies. They establish the mission and values that shape the organization's culture and direction. Their direction influences the entire organization and provides a framework for decision-making and resource allocation.

Middle-Level Management: Middle-level managers translate the broad objectives set by top-level management into specific plans and strategies. They provide direction to their respective departments or units, aligning their efforts with the overall organizational goals. Middle-level managers assign tasks, define responsibilities, and coordinate activities to achieve departmental objectives. Their direction ensures that work is organized, resources are allocated efficiently, and progress is monitored.

Front-Line Management: Front-line managers are responsible for directly supervising employees and executing the plans set by higher-level managers. They provide day-to-day direction to employees, assigning specific tasks, providing instructions, and guiding their work. Front-line managers play a critical role in communicating expectations, clarifying objectives, and ensuring that work is carried out effectively. Their direction focuses on immediate goals, operational efficiency, and maintaining quality standards.

In summary, direction is important at all levels of management because it provides clarity, alignment, and coordination. Top-level management sets the overall direction and strategic objectives, middle-level management translates them into actionable plans, and front-line management ensures the execution of those plans at the operational level. This multi-level direction ensures that the organization functions cohesively and moves towards its goals with consistency and efficiency.

Q.7. Direction is the practical aspect of management Explain briefly?

Ans. Direction is considered the practical aspect of management because it involves implementing plans, guiding employees, and ensuring that work is carried out effectively to achieve organizational objectives. It focuses on turning strategies and goals into actionable steps and tangible results. Here are some key points to explain why direction is seen as the practical aspect of management:

Implementation of Plans: Direction is where the plans formulated by managers are put into action. It involves translating strategies and goals into specific tasks, assigning responsibilities, and allocating resources. Managers provide clear instructions and guidelines to employees, guiding them on how to accomplish their assigned tasks. This practical implementation of plans is crucial for achieving desired outcomes.

Guiding and Leading Employees: Direction entails providing guidance and leadership to employees. Managers use their skills and expertise to inspire, motivate, and influence individuals or teams to perform at their best. They communicate expectations, provide feedback, and offer support to employees to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities. Effective direction involves coaching, mentoring, and providing the necessary resources to help employees succeed.

Ensuring Effective Work Execution: Direction involves overseeing the execution of work to ensure it is carried out effectively and efficiently. Managers monitor progress, address obstacles, and make necessary adjustments to keep work on track. They ensure that resources are utilized optimally, deadlines are met, and quality standards are maintained. Direction also involves coordinating the efforts of different individuals and departments to achieve synergy and collaboration.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: During the direction process, managers encounter various challenges and problems that require quick and effective decision-making. They analyze situations, identify issues, and make decisions to address them. Direction involves finding solutions, resolving conflicts, and managing risks to ensure smooth operations and achieve desired outcomes.

Overall, direction is the practical aspect of management because it involves taking the strategic plans and objectives and transforming them into actionable steps. It requires managers to guide, lead, and supervise employees, while also addressing challenges and making decisions to ensure work is executed effectively. Direction bridges the gap between planning and implementation, making management principles and strategies a practical reality within the organization.

Q.8. How directing helps in efficient and effective functioning of the organization Explain by giving any three points?

Ans. Directing plays a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of an organization. Here are three points explaining how directing helps in achieving this:

Clear Communication: Direction facilitates clear and effective communication within the organization. Managers communicate goals, expectations, and instructions to employees, ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. By providing clear guidance, directing minimizes misunderstandings and confusion, enabling employees to perform their tasks efficiently. Effective communication also fosters a sense of cohesion and teamwork, enhancing the overall functioning of the organization.

Coordination and Collaboration: Direction promotes coordination and collaboration among individuals and departments. Managers align the efforts of different teams towards common goals, ensuring that activities are synchronized and resources are allocated appropriately. By coordinating tasks and resources, directing prevents duplication of efforts, reduces inefficiencies, and promotes effective use of resources. This leads to improved productivity, streamlined processes, and enhanced organizational performance.

Motivation and Employee Engagement: Direction incorporates motivational techniques to inspire and engage employees. Managers recognize the importance of employee morale and motivation in achieving organizational objectives. They use various strategies such as recognition, rewards, and opportunities for growth to motivate employees and create a positive work environment. Motivated and engaged employees are more likely to be productive, committed, and innovative, thereby contributing to the efficient functioning of the organization.

In summary, directing helps in the efficient and effective functioning of the organization by promoting clear communication, coordinating activities, and fostering employee motivation and engagement. These elements work together to create a productive and harmonious work environment, leading to improved performance and success for the organization as a whole.

Q.9. Write four features of Directing in detail?

Ans. Communication: Communication is a key feature of directing. It involves the exchange of information, instructions, and feedback between managers and employees. Effective communication ensures that goals, objectives, and expectations are clearly conveyed to employees. It facilitates understanding, reduces ambiguity, and helps in coordinating efforts towards common goals. Good communication also enables managers to provide timely feedback and guidance, leading to improved performance and productivity.

Leadership: Leadership is another important feature of directing. It involves guiding and influencing employees towards achieving organizational objectives. Effective leaders inspire, motivate, and provide guidance to their teams. They set a positive example through their actions and behaviors, and they establish a vision that aligns with the organization's goals. Strong leadership helps in creating a positive work culture, building trust, and empowering employees to take ownership of their work.

Motivation: Motivation is a vital aspect of directing. It involves stimulating and energizing employees to put forth their best efforts towards achieving organizational goals. Managers use various motivational techniques such as recognition, rewards, and career development opportunities to inspire employees and enhance their commitment to the organization. Motivated employees are more engaged, productive, and willing to go the extra mile, which ultimately leads to improved performance and goal attainment.

Delegation: Delegation is a feature of directing that involves assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees. Effective delegation empowers employees and encourages their professional growth and development. By delegating tasks, managers can focus on more strategic activities while allowing their team members to take ownership and contribute their skills and expertise. Delegation promotes trust, improves efficiency, and creates a sense of responsibility among employees

These four features of directing - communication, leadership, motivation, and delegation - are essential in guiding and influencing employees towards achieving organizational objectives. They contribute to creating a positive work environment, fostering employee engagement, and driving overall organizational success.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q.1.Explain briefly the various elements of the directing function of management?

Ans. The directing function of management involves several key elements that contribute to guiding and influencing employees towards achieving organizational goals. Here are the various elements of directing briefly explained:

Leadership: Leadership is a crucial element of directing. It involves guiding and inspiring employees to achieve organizational objectives. Effective leaders provide a clear vision, set goals, and motivate employees to perform at their best. They serve as role models, exhibit desirable behaviors, and provide guidance and support to their teams.

Communication: Communication plays a vital role in directing. It involves transmitting information, instructions, and feedback between managers and employees. Effective communication ensures that goals and expectations are clearly understood, tasks are properly assigned, and feedback is provided in a timely manner. It promotes understanding, coordination, and collaboration among team members.

Motivation: Motivation is the process of stimulating and energizing employees to give their best efforts towards achieving organizational goals. It involves understanding employees' needs, recognizing their contributions, and providing incentives to enhance their motivation. Managers use various motivational techniques such as rewards, recognition, career development opportunities, and a positive work environment to inspire employees.

Delegation: Delegation is the process of assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees. It empowers employees to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute to the organization's success. Effective delegation helps in workload distribution, fosters employee growth, and frees up managers' time to focus on strategic activities.

Supervision: Supervision involves overseeing and monitoring the performance of employees. It includes providing guidance, feedback, and support to ensure that work is carried out effectively and efficiently. Supervision helps in maintaining quality standards, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring employees are on track towards achieving their objectives.

Coordination: Coordination is the process of harmonizing and integrating the activities of different individuals and departments within an organization. It involves ensuring that tasks are properly sequenced, resources are allocated efficiently, and efforts are synchronized to achieve common goals. Effective coordination facilitates smooth workflow, minimizes conflicts, and promotes efficient use of resources.

Decision-making: Decision-making is an integral part of directing. Managers need to make decisions related to resource allocation, goal setting, problem-solving, and other aspects of directing. Effective decision-making involves analyzing information, considering alternatives, and choosing the best course of action to guide employees towards achieving desired outcomes.

Feedback: Feedback is essential in directing. It involves providing information to employees about their performance, strengths, and areas for improvement. Timely and constructive feedback helps employees understand expectations, make necessary adjustments, and improve their performance. It also enhances communication and facilitates continuous learning and development.

These elements of directing work together to guide, motivate, and coordinate employees towards achieving organizational objectives. They require effective management skills and techniques to ensure a productive and engaged workforce.

Q.2. Directing is telling what to do and seeing that they do it to the best of their ability discuss?

Ans. While it is true that directing involves providing instructions and ensuring that they are carried out effectively, it goes beyond simply telling employees what to do. Directing is a multifaceted process that encompasses various aspects to maximize employee performance and achieve organizational goals. Here is a discussion on the statement:

Providing Clear Instructions: One aspect of directing involves clearly communicating goals, expectations, and tasks to employees. Managers must provide detailed instructions and guidance on how to accomplish assigned tasks. Clear instructions help employees understand what needs to be done and how it aligns with the organization's objectives.

Motivating and Inspiring Employees: Directing also involves motivating and inspiring employees to perform to the best of their ability. It goes beyond just giving instructions; managers must create an environment that encourages employees to excel. This includes recognizing and rewarding achievements, providing feedback and support, and fostering a positive work culture. Motivation helps employees feel valued and committed, leading to improved performance.

Facilitating Skill Development: Effective directing involves identifying and developing employees' skills and capabilities. Managers must assess employees' strengths and weaknesses and provide opportunities for skill enhancement and growth. This can be achieved through training programs, mentoring, and career development initiatives. By enhancing employees' abilities, directing helps them perform their tasks to the best of their ability.

Ensuring Resources and Support: Directing includes providing employees with the necessary resources and support to carry out their tasks effectively. Managers must ensure that employees have access to the right tools, technologies, and information needed to perform their jobs efficiently. Additionally, they need to be available to address any queries or concerns raised by employees, providing the necessary support and guidance.

Monitoring and Evaluating Performance: Another aspect of directing is monitoring and evaluating employee performance. Managers should regularly assess and measure progress towards goals, providing feedback on individual and team performance. By monitoring performance, managers can identify areas for improvement, provide necessary corrections, and ensure that employees are performing to the best of their ability.

Promoting Accountability: Directing also involves promoting accountability among employees. Managers need to set clear expectations, establish performance standards, and hold employees responsible for their actions and outcomes. By promoting accountability, employees are motivated to take ownership of their work and strive for excellence.

In summary, while directing does involve giving instructions, it extends beyond that by encompassing motivation, skill development, resource allocation, performance monitoring, and accountability. It is about guiding, supporting, and enabling employees to perform to the best of their ability, ultimately contributing to the achievement of organizational goals.

Q.3. Direction is the essence of management process Explain?

Ans. Direction is indeed considered the essence of the management process. It encompasses the core activities and functions that drive the organization towards its goals and objectives. Here's an explanation of why direction is considered the essence of the management process:

 

Goal Orientation: Direction focuses on aligning and guiding the efforts of individuals and teams towards the achievement of organizational goals. It defines the purpose and destination of the organization, providing a clear sense of direction. Without direction, management lacks purpose and becomes ineffective in steering the organization towards its desired outcomes.

Coordination and Integration: Direction plays a critical role in coordinating and integrating the various activities and functions within an organization. It ensures that different departments and individuals work together harmoniously towards common objectives. Through effective direction, managers can synchronize efforts, allocate resources, and establish collaboration, resulting in efficient and smooth operations.

Decision Making and Problem Solving: Direction involves making decisions and solving problems to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities. Managers use their expertise, knowledge, and experience to analyze situations, evaluate options, and determine the best course of action. Direction enables managers to set priorities, allocate resources effectively, and make informed decisions that drive the organization forward.

Motivation and Employee Engagement: Direction is closely linked to motivation and employee engagement. It involves inspiring and motivating employees to perform at their best and actively contribute to the organization's success. Through effective direction, managers can create a positive work environment, set clear expectations, provide feedback and recognition, and offer growth opportunities. Engaged and motivated employees are more likely to exert their efforts towards achieving organizational objectives.

Adaptation and Change Management: Direction is essential for adapting to changes in the business environment. It enables managers to recognize emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities and adjust the organization's course accordingly. Through direction, managers can foster a culture of flexibility and innovation, allowing the organization to evolve and stay competitive in dynamic markets.

Leadership and Influence: Direction requires strong leadership skills. Managers must lead by example, inspire trust, and influence others to embrace the organization's vision and goals. Effective direction involves setting a positive tone, establishing credibility, and fostering a culture of openness and collaboration. Leadership is at the core of direction, as it influences the behavior, attitudes, and performance of individuals and teams.

In summary, direction is the essence of the management process because it provides purpose, coordination, decision-making, motivation, adaptation, and leadership. It sets the organization's course, aligns efforts, and ensures that all activities are directed towards achieving the desired outcomes. Without direction, management becomes aimless and ineffective in steering the organization towards success.

Q.4. Direction is the important tool to convert the business plan into performance Discuss?

Ans. Direction plays a vital role in converting a business plan into performance by providing the necessary guidance, coordination, and control to ensure the successful implementation of the plan. Here are some key points to consider:

Alignment and Clarity: Direction ensures that the goals and objectives outlined in the business plan are clearly communicated and understood by all levels of the organization. It helps align the efforts of individuals and teams with the overall strategic direction, ensuring everyone is working towards the same objectives. Clear direction eliminates confusion and establishes a shared understanding of what needs to be achieved.

Resource Allocation: Direction involves allocating resources effectively to support the execution of the business plan. It includes determining the allocation of financial, human, and material resources required for different activities. By directing resources to the right areas and projects, management can optimize performance and ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively to achieve the desired outcomes.

Task Assignment and Delegation: Direction entails assigning tasks and responsibilities to individuals and teams based on their skills, expertise, and roles. It ensures that each person understands their specific responsibilities and knows how their work contributes to the overall plan. Effective task assignment and delegation empower employees, encourage accountability, and enable them to take ownership of their assigned tasks, resulting in improved performance.

Coordination and Collaboration: Direction facilitates coordination and collaboration among different departments, teams, and individuals involved in implementing the business plan. It establishes communication channels, reporting structures, and decision-making processes to ensure seamless coordination and integration of efforts. Effective direction helps avoid duplication of work, resolves conflicts, and fosters synergy among various stakeholders, enhancing overall performance.

Performance Monitoring and Control: Direction involves monitoring and evaluating performance against the objectives set in the business plan. It includes establishing performance metrics, collecting data, and analyzing progress. Through regular monitoring, management can identify any deviations, assess the effectiveness of strategies, and take corrective actions as needed. This control mechanism ensures that performance stays on track and aligns with the desired outcomes.

Motivation and Engagement: Direction plays a crucial role in motivating and engaging employees to achieve the performance goals outlined in the business plan. It involves providing clear expectations, setting challenging targets, recognizing and rewarding achievements, and providing feedback and support. Effective direction creates a sense of purpose, fosters employee commitment, and enhances motivation, resulting in improved performance and productivity.

In summary, direction serves as a vital tool in converting a business plan into performance by aligning goals, allocating resources, assigning tasks, coordinating efforts, monitoring performance, and motivating employees. It provides the necessary framework for translating the strategic vision into actionable steps and ensures that the organization stays focused on achieving its objectives. Without effective direction, a business plan may remain a theoretical document, and the organization may struggle to execute and achieve its desired outcomes.

Q.5. Define direction Discuss its importance?

Ans. Direction, in the context of management, refers to the process of guiding, supervising, and influencing individuals and teams to accomplish organizational goals. It involves providing clarity of objectives, issuing instructions, allocating resources, coordinating activities, and motivating employees to achieve desired outcomes.

The importance of direction in management can be understood through the following points:

Goal Achievement: Direction plays a critical role in aligning the efforts of individuals and teams towards common goals. It provides a clear sense of direction, ensuring that everyone understands what needs to be accomplished. By setting specific objectives and communicating them effectively, direction helps in focusing efforts, minimizing distractions, and increasing the chances of goal attainment.

Coordination and Efficiency: Direction facilitates coordination and integration of activities across different departments and functions. It establishes reporting structures, communication channels, and decision-making processes, ensuring that work is carried out smoothly and efficiently. Proper direction minimizes duplication of efforts, streamlines workflow, and promotes effective collaboration, leading to improved productivity and efficiency.

Employee Engagement and Motivation: Effective direction creates a positive work environment and fosters employee engagement and motivation. It involves providing clear instructions, expectations, and feedback to employees, enabling them to understand their roles and perform their tasks effectively. Direction also involves recognizing and rewarding employees for their achievements, which boosts morale, enhances job satisfaction, and encourages higher levels of performance.

Resource Allocation: Direction helps in the optimal allocation of resources, including financial, human, and material resources. By providing guidance on resource allocation, management ensures that resources are utilized efficiently and effectively. Direction helps in determining the priorities, assigning resources to critical tasks, and avoiding wastage, thereby maximizing the organization's resource utilization and overall performance.

Decision-making: Direction is closely linked to decision-making. Managers provide direction by making decisions regarding the allocation of resources, setting priorities, resolving conflicts, and managing risks. By making timely and informed decisions, managers guide the organization towards its desired outcomes and mitigate potential obstacles or challenges along the way.

Control and Performance Evaluation: Direction includes monitoring and controlling activities to ensure that they are aligned with the organization's objectives. It involves tracking progress, evaluating performance, and taking corrective actions when necessary. Effective direction allows management to identify deviations from the desired path, address issues promptly, and maintain performance standards, leading to continuous improvement and better overall results.

In summary, direction is crucial in management as it provides guidance, coordination, motivation, and control to achieve organizational goals. It helps in channeling efforts towards desired outcomes, optimizing resource utilization, fostering employee engagement, and maintaining performance standards. Without proper direction, organizations may face confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of focus, hindering their ability to achieve success.

Q.6.What do you understand by direction? Explain its elements?

Ans. Direction, in the context of management, refers to the process of guiding, instructing, and leading individuals and teams towards achieving organizational goals. It involves providing clarity of objectives, issuing instructions, coordinating activities, and motivating employees to perform their tasks effectively.

 

The elements of direction include:

Clarity of Objectives: Direction begins with setting clear and specific objectives. Clear objectives provide a sense of direction to employees, helping them understand what needs to be accomplished and why it is important. Clarity of objectives ensures that everyone is working towards a common goal, minimizing confusion and promoting alignment.

Communication: Effective communication is a vital element of direction. It involves transmitting information, instructions, feedback, and ideas between managers and employees. Clear and timely communication ensures that employees understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. It facilitates coordination, collaboration, and a shared understanding of organizational goals.

Leadership and Motivation: Direction requires strong leadership skills to inspire, motivate, and influence employees. Leaders set a positive example, exhibit desirable behaviors and attitudes, and create a vision for the organization. They use motivational techniques, such as recognition, rewards, and opportunities for growth, to engage employees and enhance their commitment to achieving goals.

Supervision and Guidance: Effective supervision is an essential element of direction. It involves overseeing and monitoring the performance of employees, providing guidance, feedback, and support. Supervision ensures that work is carried out effectively and efficiently, and it helps identify areas for improvement or corrective actions.

Delegation and Empowerment: Direction involves assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to employees through delegation. Managers delegate tasks and decision-making authority to empower employees, enabling them to take ownership of their work and contribute to the organization's success. Delegation promotes employee development, enhances job satisfaction, and frees up managers' time for more strategic activities.

Coordination: Coordination is crucial for effective direction. It involves harmonizing and integrating the activities of different individuals and departments within an organization. Managers coordinate efforts, allocate resources, and ensure that tasks are properly sequenced and synchronized to achieve common goals. Coordination helps avoid duplication of efforts, reduces conflicts, and maximizes efficiency.

Feedback and Performance Evaluation: Direction includes providing feedback to employees about their performance. Timely and constructive feedback helps employees understand expectations, make necessary adjustments, and improve their performance. Performance evaluation is an ongoing process that involves assessing and measuring progress towards goals, identifying strengths, and addressing areas for improvement.

These elements work together to guide and influence individuals and teams towards achieving organizational objectives. Effective direction ensures clarity, communication, motivation, coordination, and continuous improvement within the organization.

Q.7. Explain any five points of importance of directing function of management?

Ans. The directing function of management plays a crucial role in the overall success and effectiveness of an organization. Here are five points highlighting the importance of the directing function:

Goal Alignment: Directing ensures that all individuals and teams within the organization are aligned towards the common goals and objectives. It provides clarity of direction and purpose, helping employees understand what needs to be achieved and how their efforts contribute to the larger picture. This alignment promotes synergy and coordination, leading to improved overall performance.

Employee Engagement and Motivation: Effective directing motivates and engages employees by providing them with a clear sense of purpose and direction. Managers who excel in directing know how to inspire and empower their employees, recognize their contributions, and create a positive work environment. Engaged and motivated employees are more committed, productive, and innovative, which directly impacts the organization's success.

Coordination and Collaboration: Directing involves coordinating activities and facilitating collaboration among individuals and teams. It ensures that tasks are properly sequenced, resources are allocated efficiently, and efforts are synchronized to achieve common goals. Through effective directing, managers encourage teamwork, enhance communication, and foster a culture of collaboration, which leads to increased efficiency and effectiveness.

Decision-making and Problem-solving: The directing function requires managers to make decisions, set priorities, and solve problems in a timely and effective manner. Managers who excel in directing possess the skills to analyze information, consider alternatives, and choose the best course of action. Their ability to make sound decisions and address challenges ensures smooth operations and keeps the organization on track towards its goals.

Employee Development and Succession Planning: Directing includes delegation and empowerment, which allows managers to develop their employees' skills, capabilities, and potential. By assigning tasks and decision-making authority, managers provide opportunities for growth, learning, and advancement. Effective directing also involves identifying and nurturing future leaders through succession planning, ensuring the long-term success and continuity of the organization.

In summary, the directing function of management is important for goal alignment, employee engagement, coordination, decision-making, and employee development. It establishes the direction and framework for achieving organizational objectives and contributes to the overall success of the organization.

Q.8. Explain the meaning and any three characteristics of directing?

Ans. Directing is a crucial function of management that involves guiding, supervising, and leading individuals and teams towards the achievement of organizational goals. It focuses on providing clarity, motivation, coordination, and support to ensure that employees perform their tasks effectively and efficiently. Here are three characteristics of directing:

 

Guidance and Supervision: Directing involves providing guidance, instructions, and supervision to employees to ensure that they understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Managers must effectively communicate the tasks, standards, and deadlines to guide employees in their work. They monitor performance, provide feedback, and address any issues or challenges that arise during the process.

Leadership and Motivation: Directing requires strong leadership skills to inspire, motivate, and engage employees. Managers must exhibit desirable behaviors and attitudes, serve as role models, and create a positive work environment. They use various motivational techniques, such as recognition, rewards, and opportunities for growth, to enhance employee commitment and productivity.

Coordination and Communication: Directing involves coordinating and integrating the efforts of different individuals and teams within the organization. Managers must ensure that tasks are properly sequenced, resources are allocated effectively, and efforts are synchronized to achieve common goals. This requires clear and effective communication between managers and employees to convey information, instructions, and feedback in a timely and accurate manner.

These characteristics of directing contribute to the effective functioning of the organization by aligning employees towards common objectives, maximizing their performance and potential, and fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.

Q.9. Directing is the heart of the management process do you agree Give any four reasons in support of your answer?

Ans. Yes, I agree that directing is the heart of the management process. Here are four reasons to support this statement:

Goal Achievement: Directing plays a crucial role in aligning the efforts of individuals and teams towards the achievement of organizational goals. It provides clarity of objectives, communicates expectations, and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals. Without effective directing, there would be a lack of direction and coordination, making it difficult to achieve desired outcomes.

Employee Motivation: Directing involves motivating and inspiring employees to perform at their best. Managers use various motivational techniques to create a positive work environment, recognize employee contributions, and provide opportunities for growth and development. Motivated employees are more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to the organization's goals.

Effective Communication: Directing relies heavily on effective communication. Managers must communicate clearly, timely, and accurately to ensure that instructions, information, and feedback are properly conveyed to employees. This facilitates understanding, reduces misunderstandings, and promotes smooth workflow. Without proper communication, tasks may be performed incorrectly, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving: Directing involves making decisions and solving problems in real-time. Managers must analyze information, consider alternatives, and choose the best course of action to guide employees. This requires critical thinking, sound judgment, and decision-making skills. Effective directing ensures that decisions are made promptly and efficiently, minimizing delays and maximizing the organization's responsiveness to challenges and opportunities.

In summary, directing is the heart of the management process as it drives goal achievement, motivates employees, facilitates effective communication, and enables decision-making and problem-solving. It sets the tone for the organization's operations and success.

 

A. One Word to One Sentence Questions

 

Q. 1. What is directing?

 Ans. Directing refers to the process of guiding and giving instructions to the employees in performing their functions.

 

Q. 2. Define directing.

 Ans. According to Koontz and O'Donnell, "Direction is the executive function of guiding and observing subordinates."

 

 Q. 3. For what purpose, is directing function performed?

Ans. To achieve high standards of efficiency so that the objectives of the organisation may be achieved successfully.

 

 Q. 4. What is supervision?

Ans. Supervision is to keep a watch on the working of the subordinates.

 

 Q. 5. What is communication?

Ans. Communication refers to that process through which two or more than two persons exchange ideas, facts, information, knowledge, feelings or view-points etc.

 

B. Fill in the Blanks

 

1.  Directing is essential for all the organisations.

 2. Direction is a dynamic and continuing function.

 3. Principle of Uniformity in objectives is an important principle of effective direction.

 

 C. True or False

 

 1. Directing is the heart of management process. True

 2. For effective direction, delegation of authority must be avoided. False

3. Leadership is synonymous with directing. False

 

 

D. MCQ

 

 1. Directing is a:

(a) Continuous process                                    (b) Universal function

(c) Financial activity                                         (d) Both (a) and (b).

Ans. (d) Both (a) and (b).

 

 2. The main objective behind directing is to:

(a) Improve organisational efficiency        (b) Maintain discipline

(c) Enforce control                                         (d) All the above.

Ans. (a) Improve organisational efficiency

 

 

3. Which of the following is an element of directing?

(a) Communication                                      (b) Leadership

(c) Both (a) and (b)                                      (d) None of these.

Ans. (c) Both (a) and (b)

 

Two Marks Questions:

 

Q. 1. Define directing.

Ans. Directing refers to that multi-dimensional process under which higher officials guide employees, supervise their functions and activities and motivate them to achieve high standards of efficiency so that the objectives of the organisation may be achieved successfully.

 

Q. 2. What is principle of uniformity in objectives?

Ans. Effective directing should always be based on the principle that it should ensure uniformity in personal objectives of the employees and the organisational objectives. In order to do so, under the process of directing, employees must be made to realize that the achievement of organisational objectives will automatically result in the achievement of their personal objectives.

 

Four Marks Questions:

 

Q. 1. Discuss any four features of directing.

Ans. 1. Present at Every Managerial Level: In every organisation, managers at every level guide, supervise and motivate their subordinates. Wherever there are seniors and subordinates, directing is present.

2. Initiation of Action: Planning, organising and staffing lay the foundation for the organisational functions. But, the starting point of organisational function is directing. Under it, seniors guide their subordinates to get the organisational functions performed.

3. Continuous Process: In any organisation, the process of directing is a continuous process. As long as organisation is existing and it is functional, seniors keep on directing their subordinates towards the achievement of organisational goals.

4. Influence of Human Elements: The process of directing is concerned with the human beings. That is why human aspects have a special place in it. Under it, seniors influence and motivate the subordinates.

 

Q. 2. Discuss any four points of importance of directing.

 Ans. 1. Initiation of Action: Under it, seniors give orders and instructions to subordinates to get the organisational functions performed. Thus, functioning of organisation starts with directing.

2. Integration of Individual Efforts: The process of directing helps in the integration of individual efforts of various employees working in the organisation. Consequently, organisation succeeds in attaining its objectives.

3. Source of Motivation: Directing is also a source of motivation for the employees. Efficient and effective leadership of the seniors is in fact a source of motivation for the employees.

4. Helpful in Facilitating Change: Employees generally oppose the changes. Under the process of directing; resistance to change can be minimized through advice, motivation, leadership, discussion and communication etc. Hence, change can be brought about easily. That is why it is said that directing is the essence of management.

 

 

 

Q. 3. Write any four principles of effective directing.

Ans. 1. Principle of Direct Supervision: According to this principle, a senior must directly supervise the functions and activities of his subordinates. As a consequence, seniors are able to efficiently supervise the working of their subordinates.

2. Principle of Use of Appropriate Techniques: According to this principle, use of appropriate techniques must be made for the purpose of directing. While doing so; needs, qualifications, qualities, attitudes etc. of the employees and organisational circumstances must be kept in mind.

3. Principle of Effective Communication: According to this principle, prevalence of effective communication in the organisation also makes the process of directing efficient and effective.

4. Principle of Strategic Use of Informal Organisation: In every formal organisation, there are informal organisations also. Hence, according to this principle, strategic use of informal organisations should be made in the success of the process of directing.