Directing

Session 6
 Learning Dashboard

Definition

Functions of Directing

Elements of Directing
 Directing

Directing is said to be a process in which the managers

instruct, guide and oversee the performance of the
workers to achieve predetermined goals.

Directing is the heart of management process.

Planning, organizing, staffing has got no importance if
direction function does not take place.

Directing initiates action and it is from here actual

work starts.
 Direction is a function of
management performed by
top level management in
order to achieve
organizational goals. 

Directing Direction consists of the

process and techniques
utilized in issuing
instructions and making
certain the operations are
carried as originally planned.
Managers should be comfortable and confident commanding
their team members’ daily tasks as well as during periods of
significant change or challenge.

This involves projecting a strong sense of direction

and leadership when setting goals and communicating new
processes, products and services, or internal policy.

Leadership can manifest itself in a number of ways, including

recognizing when employees need an extra boost of
reinforcement and praise to handling conflicts between team
members fairly and decisively.

 Often, managers may function as leaders even during small

personal interactions by modeling supportive, encouraging, and
motivational qualities.
 Direction has got following
characteristics:

a s iv e F u n c t io n : Directing is
Perv o rganization.
a t a ll le v els o f
required s guidance
a g e r p ro v id e Continuou
Every man s Activity:
a ti o n to h is s u bordinates. continuous Direction is
a
and inspir throughout
activity as it
c ontinuous
the life of or
ganization.

c t o r : Directing function is
Hu ma n F a
d therefore
inates an
related to subord c tor. Since
d to h um a n fa
it is relate x and behaviour
r is c om p le
human facto
re dicta b le , d ir ec tion function
is unp
nt.
becomes importa
 Directing is the central point around
which accomplishment of goals take
place.
of Resources
n

the c p with
Efficient Utilizatio

Direction is also called as on actuating

es
hang function of management because it is
through direction that the operation of

ab s
y
St vide
ing u

an enterprise actually starts.

ilit
ro
f This function provides benefits to a
Cop

It P

o
s on concern as follows:-
n
a ati
e
M tiv
Mo
f fo rts
es E
g rat
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I t In

It Initiates Actions
 Direction Initiates Actions

It Initiates Actions:
• Directing is the function which is the starting point of the
work performance of subordinates.
• It is from this function the action takes place; subordinates
understand their jobs and do according to the instructions
laid.
• Whatever are plans laid, can be implemented only once the
actual work starts. It is there that direction becomes
beneficial.
 Direction Provides Stability

• Stability and balance in a firm becomes very important for long

term survival in the market.
• This can be brought upon by the managers with the help of four
tools or elements of direction function - judicious blend of
persuasive leadership, effective communication, strict
supervision and efficient motivation.
• Stability is very important since that is an index of growth of an
enterprise. Therefore, a manager can use of all the four traits in
him so that performance standards can be maintained.
 Functions of Directing

It guides and helps the subordinates to complete the given task

properly and as per schedule.

It provides the necessary motivation to subordinates to

complete the work satisfactorily and strive to do them best.

It helps in maintaining discipline and rewarding those who do

well.

Directing involves supervision, which is essential to make sure

that work is performed according to the orders and instructions.
Directing involves

 Telling people what is to be done

and explaining how to do it. 
 Issuing instructions and orders to
subordinates. 
 Inspiring them to contribute
towards the achievement of
objectives.
 Supervising their activities; and 
 Providing leadership and
motivation. 
 Supervision
Elements Leadership
of Click to add text

Directing Motivation

Communication
 Elements of Directing
Supervision- implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their
superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work& workers.

Motivation- means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-

ordinates with passion to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-
monetary incentives may be used for this purpose. 
Leadership- may be defined as a process by which manager guides
and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction. 

Communications- is the process of passing information, experience,

opinion etc from one person to another. 
 Supervision
 Refers to day to day relationship between manager / Superior and his

Subordinate.

 It should NOT AIM primarily at fault finding but at education and guidance.

 It’s a management activity which is carried out by SUPERVISORS to oversee

the productivity and progress of employees who report directly to the

supervisors.

 Supervisors are the key people among managers at different levels. They are

the link between the top and middle management and the workers
 Differences between Direction / Supervising
Directing (Wide) Supervising (Narrow) 

It include motivation, communication,

supervision, training & leadership.   It is only one of the elements of direction. 

  Direction is generally at top level.   It is restricted to the lower level management. 

 Generally, direction is related to supervision which is  He  deals, guides and lead workers directly under his
the intermediate link between the workers and commands. 
management 

 Direction being at the top level, formulates polices  Supervision at lower level only for implementation. 
and takes important decision. 

 Financial & non-financial incentives.   It cannot provide incentives but if can only
recommend rewards in special case. 

 Leads the efforts of medium and lower Level  Efforts of employee under his commands. 
executives. 
 • A manager wears many
hats.
• Not only is a manager a
Roles team leader, but he or
she is also a planner,
performed organizer, cheerleader,
coach, problem solver,
by and decision maker —
all rolled into one.
managers • And these are just a few
of a manager's roles.
 Roles performed by managers

• In his classic book, The Nature of Managerial

Work, Henry Mintzberg describes a set of ten roles
that a manager fills. These roles fall into three
categories:
• Interpersonal: This role involves human interaction.
• Informational: This role involves the sharing and
analyzing of information.
• Decisional: This role involves decision making.
Skills required • Not everyone can be a manager.
Certain skills, or abilities to
to be a translate knowledge into action
that results in desired
manager  performance, are required to help
other employees become more
productive. 
• These skills fall under the
following categories:-
 Technical Skills 

•  This skill requires the ability to use a special proficiency or

expertise to perform particular task 
• Accountants, engineers, market researchers, and computer
scientists, as examples, possess technical skills. 
• Managers acquire these skills initially through formal education
and then further develop them through training and job
experience. Technical skills are most important at lower levels
of management.
 Human Skills 

• This skill demonstrates the ability to work well in cooperation with others.
• Human skills emerge in the workplace as a spirit of trust, enthusiasm, and
genuine involvement in interpersonal relationships. 
• A manager with good human skills has a high degree of self‐awareness
and a capacity to understand or empathize with the feelings of others.
• Some managers are naturally born with great human skills, while others
improve their skills through classes or experience. 
• No matter how human skills are acquired, they're critical for all managers
because of the highly interpersonal nature of managerial work.
 Conceptual Skills 

• This skill calls for the ability to think analytically.

• Analytical skills enable managers to break down problems into smaller
parts, to see the relations among the parts, and to recognize the
implications of any one problem for others. 
• As managers assume ever‐higher responsibilities in organizations, they
must deal with more ambiguous problems that have long‐
term consequences. 
• Again, managers may acquire these skills initially through formal
education and then further develop them by training
and job experience. The higher the management level, the more
important conceptual skills become.
Skills of A Manager 
Must Have Skills in present times 

• Following are some of the skills and personal characteristics

that the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB) is urging business schools to help their students
develop.

Myth: Managers are self‐starters, self‐
directed, and autonomous.
Reality: Managers don't always have
access to information they need.
Reality: Good managers are self‐
managing: They accept autonomy,
while seeking input from supervisors..
Myth: Competition among managers is
good for business.
Myth: Good managers seek out the
information they require.
Reality: Collaboration (the pooling of
resources) and cooperation (working
together) among managers creates a
better business. Today, the concepts of
TQM indicate that organizations
function better if resources and
knowledge are shared and individuals
work together as a team
 Leading Teams : The Team Leader:
An Overview
A team leader or team lead is someone (or in certain cases there may be
multiple team leaders) who provides guidance, instruction, direction, and
leadership to a group of other individuals (the team) for the purpose of
achieving a key result or group of aligned results.

There are many elements that create, and are essential to be an effective
leader who has the power to motivate a team and drive success. There is
often a balancing act that the leader must manage between being a
leader and a member while ensuring the goal is clear and obtainable.

A good team leader listens constructively to the membership and to the

customer(s) of the results that the team is charged with delivering.
The Team Leader: Reporting Structure

The team lead reports to a project

manager (overseeing several teams).

The team leader monitors the quantitative and

qualitative result that is to be achieved. The
leader works with the team membership.
The team membership is expected to provide
support to the team leader and other team
members in achieving the team’s goals.
 The responsibilities of a team lead
vary greatly between organizations,
The Team Leader: but usually include some
Responsibilities responsibility for team
building and ensuring teamwork.

The Team
Leader: Responsibilities
The term is
used  to emphasize the cooperative
nature of a team, in contrast to
a typical command structure, where
the head of a team would be its
commander.
 There are six leadership
competencies that are the
building blocks to
becoming an effective
The Team Leader: leader:
Leadership  • Focus on the goal,
Competencies • Ensure a collaborative climate,
• Build confidence,
• Demonstrate sufficient technical
know-how,
• Set priorities,
• Manage performance 
 1.In what order do managers typically
perform the managerial functions?
a) organizing, planning, controlling, leading
MCQ b) organizing, leading, planning, controlling
c) planning, organising, leading, controlling
d) planning, organising, controlling, leading
2.What are the three interpersonal roles of
managers?
a) Figurehead, leader and liaison
b) Spokesperson, leader, coordinator
c) Director, coordinator, disseminator
d) Communicator, organizer, spokesperson
3.Which one is not a recognized key skill of
management?
a) Conceptual skills
b) Human skills
c) Technical skills
d) Writing skills
4.Which of these is not part of the recognized
challenges for modern managers?
a) Micro-managing the workforce
b) Managing communications
c) Managing change
d) Managing the learning organization
5.What is a social enterprise concerned with?
a) Profit maximization
b) Maximizing market share
c) Providing public service
d) Running a business to create social benefits
6.Managers are judged by:
A. What they get others to do
B. Their personality
C. What they do
D. How fast they work
7.Which level of management is responsible for
implementing programs that are intended to
carry out the broader objectives of an
organization set by executives? 
A) supervisory managers
B) middle managers
C) first level managers
D) chief financial managers 
8.Which of the following characterize a manager
as being efficient? 
A) They use a minimum amount of resources for the
amount of outputs produced. 
B) The devote a large amount of time to planning 
C) They achieve their goals. 
D) They interview, select, and train people who are
most suitable to fill open jobs
9.Which level of management is responsible for
establishing a vision for the organization,
developing broad plans and strategies, and
directing subordinate managers?
A) first level managers
B) middle managers
C) executive managers
D) second level managers 
10.In management, the various roles that
managers are called on to perform are defined
in which process?
A) management process
B) executive process
C) business process
D) supervisory process