MODULE 5

FOURTH FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT: DIRECTING (LEADING)

Objectives

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:

1. define directing;
2. discuss the theories of motivation;
3. explain the communication process and its type;
4. enumerate and discuss the types of leadership; and
5. apply directing as function of management.

DIRECTING
What is Directing?

Directing is the process of motivation, communication and leadership. It deals with the
relationship of managers/immediate superior and subordinates. Directing makes the four other
functions of management effectively done if the one directing is also effective, efficient and
understands the people’s behavior inside the organization by applying good communication,
motivates people and have the ability to lead them.

TERMS:

MOTIVATION (Iñigo, 2015)

It is from the Latin word “movere” which means to move. It is a drive for oneself to
achieve something. This can be aim, desire, end, impulse, intention, objectives and purpose.
There are three common characteristics of motivation:

1. concerned with what activates human behavior,

2. concerned with what directs this behavior toward a particular goal, and
3. concerned with how this behavior is sustained.

Motivation is about the behavior of the person how he or she can achieve the set planned.
Because the behavior of the person is the one drives the person to be motivated. E.g. If you are
the manager or head of the department, you planned and those plans are the goals of the
department. You will make yourself and your people to participate actively in achieving those
goals. When people are participating as head you will direct their behaviors towards achieving
the set goals, and you need to sustain it by having constant communication which way of
understanding their behaviors achieving the goals of the department. In that case if the superior
actively participate, direct and understand his or her people – subordinates will be motivated.

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 Motivation can be analyzed using the following causative sequence:

Needs or Drives or Achievement

Goals Motives

In motivation, needs produce motives which lead to the accomplishment of goals. Needs
are caused by deficiencies, which can be either physical or psychological. A motive is a stimulus
which leads to an action that satisfies the need. Motives produce actions. Achievement of the
goal satisfies the need and reduces the motive. When the goal is reached, balance is restored.
Understanding the motivation sequence in itself offers a manager little help in determining what
motivates people.

In short if the organization or the people perse have needs or goals to be achieved, he
has the reason or the drive or motives to act achieving the needs or goals.

Theories of Motivation

1. Traditional Theory
Motivation evolved from the work of Frederick W. Taylor and the management
movement that took place at the turn of this century. Taylor’s ideas were based on his belief that
existing reward systems were not designed to reward individuals for high production. Highly
productive people discover that they are being compensated basically the same as less
productive people, then the output of highly productive people will decrease. Solution: He
designed a system whereby an employee was compensated according to individual production.
Under Taylor’s system, employees could in many cases significantly increase their pay for
production above the standard. Motivation is based on the assumption that the money is the
primary motivator. Financial rewards are directly related to performance in the belief that if the
reward is great enough, employees will produce more.

2. The Hierarchy of Needs

Postulated by industrial psychologist Abraham Maslow. The Hierarchy of Needs states
that human needs in the form of hierarchy should be satisfied in order, from lowest to highest
needs.

1st Level – Psychological needs

These are basically the needs of the human body that must be satisfied in order
to sustain life. These include food, sleep, water, exercise, clothing, shelter, and so forth.

2nd Level – Safety needs

These are concerned with protection against danger, threat, or deprivation.
Favoritism, discrimination and arbitrary administration of organizational policies are all actions
which arouse uncertainty and therefore affect the safety needs.

3rd Level – Social needs

Generally categorized are the needs for love, affection, belonging, social needs
are concerned with establishing one’s position relative to others. Satisfy by the development of
meaningful personal relations and by acceptance into meaningful group of individuals.
Belonging to organizations and identifying with work groups are means of satisfying these
needs in organizations.

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 4th Level – Esteem needs
Needs which influence the development of various kinds of relationships based
on adequacy, independence, and the giving and receiving of indications of self-esteem and
acceptance.

5th Level – Need for Self-Actualization or Self-fulfillment

This is the highest-order need. It is the need of people to reach their full potential
by applying their abilities and interests to functioning in their environment. This is concerned
with the will to operate at the optimum and thus receive the rewards that are the results of that
attainment. Rewards may not only be in terms of economic and social remuneration, but also in
terms of psychological remuneration. The need for self-actualization or self-fulfillment is never
completely satisfied; one can always reach one step higher.

3. Motivation-Maintenance Theory
Developed by Frederick Herzberg, Bernard Mausner and Barbara Syndeman, the
Motivation-Maintenance Theory has wide acceptance in management circles. It is referred to by
several names: dual-factor theory, or motivation-hygiene theory. It contends that motivation
comes from the individual not from the manager. The theory was derived from a research which
suggests that workers can be motivated best by satisfying the needs of the individuals for the
satisfiers (job itself).

4. Reinforcement Theory
This theory of motivation was introduced by B.F. Skinner’s. According to him, the
following are the components of motivated behavior: 1. Stimulus - The environmental setting in
which behavior occurs (performance); 2. Response - The behavior level itself; and 3.
Reinforcement - The reward given for good performance. Performance is conditioned by
reward-giving.

5. McGregor’s Theory X & Y

McGregor categorizes the assumptions upon which traditional organizations are based
into theory “X”, and the assumptions consisted of the modern organizations and current
research literature into theory “Y”. Some of these assumptions bring out the differences
between traditional and modern approaches to motivation. Theory “X” views human beings
inherently lazy and hence must be motivated by force. The individual must be threatened with
punishment in order to make him increase his productivity. The direction and control comes
from the outside the individual to motivate him. On the other hand, theory “Y” contends that
external force or punishment is not the best way of motivating individuals because aside from
monetary needs, the individual also has self-ego and self-realization needs. Fulfilment of these
needs can be achieved by giving freedom of action as a responsibility of the individual.

McGregor emphasizes that motivation of employees is best achieved when

management creates an environment that encourages members involving both intrinsic and
extrinsic rewards, by directing their efforts towards the goals of the organization. Attention must
be given to lower level and higher level needs in creating the proper organization environment.
At the lower level, management should provide, on an equitable basis, extrinsic rewards for all
contributions to productivity. At the higher level, importance of planning, organizing, staffing,
directing and controlling should be stressed so as to provide as appropriate environment that
will permit and encourage employees to seek intrinsic rewards at work.

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COMMUNICATION

This is an important skill of a human, which create harmonious relationship and

confidence among people inside the organization. It is simply means transfer of important
information from the sender to receiver with understanding through words or simple gesture or
movement of the body. Having good communication inside the organization is an important
means of achieving its vision.

Communication Process

The picture shows the communication process. To establish a form of communication, first the
sender encode his or her message then it will pass through (transmission) a channel media – it
can be a verbal language, sign/symbols, codes, letters or written words etc. (media – direct
conversation, TV, radio etc.). Then the receiver decodes the message then gives feedback to
the sender.

Types of Communication

1. Formal and Downward Communication

This is appeared to be the common method of communication in many
organizations. Under this approach, the information flows down through the
formal channels in the organization. This is mean that the flow of information
inside the organization is from the top to bottom or form the highest position
down to the ranking file positions. The communication level shows the formal
structure of the organization.

The downward communication is classified into:

a. specific task directives: job instructions (it is common that when giving
job instruction, it is downward because it is coming from the boss);
b. information regarding understanding of the task and its position in the
organization;
c. information on procedures and practices (when it comes to new
procedures and practices it is common that communication dissemination is from
the top management down to lower management);
d. subordinates’ performance feedback; and
e. information on mission-indoctrination of goals.

2. Upward Communication
This is also common to some organizations which encourage innovation or
improvement and development. The communication is from the lower level up to the top
level management. When it comes to this type of communication the organization give
trust to the people to make good communication possible. This can be facilitated
through the grievance procedure, the complaint system, counselling methods, survey
questionnaires, an open-door policy, exit interviews, special meetings, and suggestion
system.

3. Lateral Communication
This is a peer-level communications enable members of a particular level in the
organization to share information and thus improve their decisions and decision making
skills. This is a type of communication that take some pressure to managers and
supervisors because if the members are their subordinates they do not necessary

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shows or use their authority in making decision which is general consensus on this
type. The examples are committees, conferences, group discussion and
project/improvement team.

4. Informal Communication
This is also common in the organizations which information is not communicated
properly or the message did not follow proper channel. This is informal channels are
generally referred to grapevine. The information is only a rumor from several individuals
and eventually forms a group – grapevine (literally mean grapes (people) in one vine
(organization). The transfer of communication does not follow the organizational
hierarchy (manager to clerk instead of manager to supervisor to clerk).

Twelve Ways to Communicate (by William Exton Jr.)

1. Informal talk or “grapevine” communication. This the most fundamental form of

communication usually adopted by an informal organization.
2. Memoranda
3. Telephone calls
4. Interoffice News
5. Letters
6. Reports
7. Conference/Conventions
8. Meetings
9. Bulletin Board Notices (this can be effective if it will be maintained – updated)
10. Exhibits and Displays
11. Visual Aids

Some Approaches for improving communication are:

1. An attitude of reasonable access and an open mind and ear.

2. Suggestion systems that are objective.
3. Encouragement of employee letters.
4. Availability of counselling and grievance system. (This is very important to an
organization to know the feeling of their workers and is one way of getting feedback
from them)
5. Participation in social activities which provide an opportunity for information
conversation.
6. Communicating with employees’ families.
7. Utilizing employee attitude surveys and exit interview data.
8. Providing opportunities for subordinates to make presentations.

Communication Barriers

1. Distance. The supervisor and subordinate have difficulties in seeking clarification.

They think and feel that their manager or the top level manager is unreachable or they
have hesitation talking to them. They commonly feel intimidated which hinder or hold
back talking to them.

2. Distortion. The supervisor and subordinates tend to interpret the information in the
light of their own views, values, opinions, and background rather than interpreting the
message objectively.

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 3. Semantics. It is a barrier because words used in transferring message have multiple
meaning which leads to misunderstanding.

4. Lack of levelling. Supervisors are sometimes not conscious that sometimes they
used jargon words or technical terms to their subordinates that can only understand by
a supervisor, which also caused misunderstanding in giving task or job instruction.

5. Lack of trust. This is where the supervisor creates barrier of not giving complete
information to his subordinates because of lack of trust.

6. Inaccessibility. The person is often not available or busy, therefore they are not
always available for clarification, consultation, discussion etc.

7. Lack of clear responsibilities. When the responsibilities assigned to the subordinates

are not clear, they find scapegoats or come out with excuses.

8. Personal incompatibility. This is a barrier where the people’s personality inside the
organization clashes or not compatible which hinder them to communicate with each
other.

9. Refusal to listen. This is a barrier where the one person refuses to decode the
information or do not want to listen which also caused misunderstanding. This
sometimes occur when the subordinate is the one presenting or sharing ideas to their
supervisor. The supervisors do not listen due to superiority complex.

10. Failure to use proper media. This is a barrier because the media used is not match
to kind of message intend to send.

11. Communication gap. This refers to the defects or loopholes in the formal network of
communication.

12. Lack of Direction. This refers that the message lost its real meaning or the message
was not properly encode and transmitted.

LEADERSHIP
Leadership is an important aspect of managing. Art and science which influence people
that are willingly move toward the achievement of the group goals. It is the ability to
obtain followers and influence them makes a leader.

Types of Leadership

1. Dictatorial leader. A type of leader who is firm, use his or authority and always make
decision on his or her own and just disseminate it to subordinates. Subordinates
accomplished task through fear of penalties. Have negative attitude toward his or her
subordinates.

2. Autocratic leader. Leader portrays paternalistic (father) role which forces

subordinates to rely on them for their satisfaction.

3. Democratic leader. Leader that depends not only on their own capabilities but

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 encourage consultation of subordinates. The leader is open-minded and he or she do
not have superiority complex.

4. Laissez-faire. Leader that depends completely on his or her subordinates

establishing their own goal and make their own decision. The leader assumes the role
of just another member of the group.

Management Skills

This refers to the types of skills the leaders should possess which are required to
perform their role effectively and efficiently.

1. Technical Skill. This refers to the ability and capability of a leader to perform his or her
job. It is necessary for a leader that he or she is well verse to his or her job and he or she should
also know the technicality of his or subordinates jobs, because it will not hinder his or her
subordinates to follow him or her and acknowledge him or her being their leader. The leader can
assess his or her subordinates well because he or she knows the job of his or subordinates.

2. Human Skill. A good leader if you treat your subordinates or follower well or humane.
This is the ability to work with other by getting along with them, motivating them, and
communicating effectively.

3. Conceptual Skill. The leader knows how to think and plan achieving the goals of the
organization by its own view not on his own point of view. He or she can do things out of his or
her knowledge and skills in making decision.

Forum 1:

Discussion will be posted in the UBian LMS.

Please watch the three videos for additional information:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ddt_IGMMOrI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f60dheI4ARg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWmhl6rzVpM

References:
Iñigo, Conrado E., Management for Filipinos: Principles and Application, 2015
Schermerhorn, Jr., John R., Introduction to Management 11 th Edition, 2012
Zarate, Cynthia A. Principles of Management. 2009
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ddt_IGMMOrI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f60dheI4ARg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWmhl6rzVpM

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