Directing

DIRECTING
Reporters:
Beryl Mae Cordova
Kriss Kringle Esquia
WHAT IS
DIRECTING?
DEFINITION
Directing is concerned with

carrying out the desired plans. It initiates
organized and planned action and ensures
effective performance by subordinates
towards the accomplishment of group
activities.
DEFINITION
“Directing is the interpersonal aspect of
managing by which subordinates are led
to understand and contribute effectively
and efficiently to the attainment of
enterprise’s objectives.”
-Koontz and O’Donnel
DEFINITION
“Directing is the guidance, the
inspiration, the leadership of those men
and women that constitute the real core
of the responsibilities of management.”
-Urwick and Breach
DEFINITION
“Telling people what to do and seeing
that they do it to the best of their ability. It
includes making assignment, explaining
procedures, seeing that mistakes are
corrected, providing on the job instruction,
and of course, issuing order.”
-Earnest Dale
DEFINITION
“The heart of administration is the
directing function which involves
determining the course, giving order and
instructions, providing the dynamic
leadership.”
-Marshall E. Dimock
NATURE OF
DIRECTING
NATURE OF DIRECTING
1. It is a Dynamic Function
2. It Initiates Action
3. It provides Necessary Link between Various
Managerial Functions
4. It is a Universal Function
5. It is Concerned with Human Relationships
NATURE OF DIRECTING
As a DYNAMIC FUNCTION
Directing is a dynamic and continuing
function. A manager has to continuously
direct, guide, motivate and lead his
subordinates. With change in plans and
organizational relationships, he will have to
change the methods and techniques to
direction.
NATURE OF DIRECTING
Directing INITIATES ACTION
Directing initiates organized and
planned action and ensures effective
performance by subordinates towards
the accomplishment of group activities.
It is regarded as the essence of
management-in-action.
NATURE OF DIRECTING
Directing PROVIDES NECESSARY LINK BETWEEN
VARIOUS MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS
Directing links the various managerial functions
of planning, organizing, staffing and controlling.
Without directing the function of controlling will never
arise and the other preparatory functions of
management will become meaningless.
NATURE OF DIRECTING
Directing is a UNIVERSAL FUNCTION
Directing is a universal function that is
performed in all organizations and at all the levels of
management. All managers have to guide, motivate,
lead, supervise and communicate with their
subordinates, although more time is spent on
directing at higher levels of management.
NATURE OF DIRECTING
Directing is CONCERNED WITH HUMAN
RELATIONSHIPS
The direction function of management deals with
relationship between people working in an organization.
It creates cooperation and harmony among the members
of the group. It seeks to achieve orderly arrangement of
group effort to provide unity of action in the pursuit of
common objectives.
PRINCIPLES
OF
EFFECTIVE
DIRECTION
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE DIRECTION
1. Harmony of Objectives
2. Unity of Command
3. Unity of Direction
4. Direct Supervision
5. Participative or Democratic Management
6. Effective Communication
7. Follow-up
1. Harmony of Objectives:
It is an essential function of management to make the
people realize the objectives of the group and direct their efforts
towards the achievement of their objectives. The interest of the
group must always prevail over individual interest. The principle
implies harmony of personal interest and common interest. Effective
direction fosters the sense of belongingness among all
subordinates in such a way that they always identify themselves
with the enterprise and tune their goals with those of the enterprise.
2. Unity of Command:
This principle states that one person should receive orders

from only one superior, in other words, one person should be
accountable to only one boss. If one person is under more than one
boss then there can be contradictory orders and the subordinate
fails to understand whose order to be followed. In the absence of
unity of command, the authority is undermined, discipline
weakened, loyalty divided and confusion and delays are caused.
3. Unity of Direction:
To have effective direction, there should be one head
and one plan for a group of activities having the same
objectives. In other words, each group of activities having the
same objectives must have one plan of action and must be
under the control of one supervisor.
4. Direct Supervision:
The directing function of management becomes more
effective if the superior maintains direct personal contact with
his subordinates. Direct supervision infuses a sense of
participation among subordinates that encourages them to put
in their best to achieve the organizational goals and develop
an effective system of feed-back of information.
5. Participative or Democratic Management:
The function of directing becomes more effective if
participative or democratic style of management is followed.
According to this principle, the superior must act according to
the mutual consent and the decisions reached after consulting
the subordinates. It provides necessary motivation to the
workers by ensuring their participation and acceptance of
work methods.
6. Effective Communication:
To have effective direction, it is very essential to have
an effective communication system which provides for free
flow of ideas, information, suggestions, complaints and
grievances.
7. Follow-up:
In order to make direction effective, a manager has to
continuously direct, guide, motivate and lead his subordinates.
A manager has not only to issue orders and instructions but
also to follow-up the performance so as to ensure that work is
being performed as desired. He should intelligently oversee
his subordinates at work and correct them whenever they go
wrong.
ELEMENTS OF
DIRECTION
ELEMENTS OF DIRECTION
1. Issuing Orders and Instructions

2. Leadership
3. Communication
4. Motivation
5. Supervision
6. Co-ordination
1. Issuing Orders and Instructions:
A manager is required to issue a number of orders to
his subordinates to initiate, modify or halt any action. He is
also required to guide and instruct workers in performance of
their task towards the achievement of desired goals.
Instructions are important in directing subordinates. Orders
and instructions reflect the decisions of managers.
A good order or instruction should have the
following characteristics:
(a) It should be simple, unambiguous and clear.
(b) It should be brief but complete.
(c) It should be reasonable and enforceable.
(d) It should be convincing and acceptable.
(e) It should invoke co-operation.
A good order or instruction should have the
following characteristics:
(f) It should be compatible with the objectives of the
organization.
(g) It should “be in written form as far as possible.
(h) It should be backed up by follow-up action.
2. Leadership:
Leadership is “the process by which an executive or
manager imaginatively directs/guides and influences the work
of others in choosing and attaining specified goals by
mediating between the individual and organization in such a
manner that both will get maximum satisfaction.”
3. Communication:
Communication refers to the exchange of ideas,
feelings, emotions, knowledge and information between two
or more persons. Communication constitutes a very important
element of directing. It is said to be the number one problem
of management today. Communication is the means by which
the behaviour of the subordinates is modified and change is
effected in their action.
4. Motivation:
Motivation encourages persons to give their best
performance and help in reaching enterprise goals. It is the
degree of readiness for undertaking assigned task and doing
it in the best possible way.
5. Supervision:
It consists of the process and technique involved in
issuing instructions and confirming that operations are carried
as originally planned. Supervision is a continuing activity and
performed at every level of activity. Supervision is a sort of
control as the supervisor is supposed to take corrective
measures if the work is not in line with the plan.
6. Co-ordination:
Co-ordination is an orderly arrangement of group effort
to provide unity of action in pursuit of common purpose. The
purpose of directing is to get various activities coordinated for
achieving common goals. Co-ordination is a part of directing
exercise and helps in synchronization of various efforts.
IMPORTANCE
OF
DIRECTION
IMPORTANCE OF DIRECTION
1. Initiates Action
2. Improves Efficiency
3. Ensures Co-ordination
4. Helpful in Implementing Changes
5. Provides Stability
CONCLUSIO
N
Directing is said to It is the heart of

be all those activities management process. Directing
which are designed Planning, Organizing
makes an
to encourage the and Staffing have got
no importance if action start or
subordinates to work
direction function begin.
effectively and
efficiently. does not take place
THANK YOU!

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DIRECTING

Directing is concerned with

This principle states that one person should receive orders

1. Issuing Orders and Instructions

Directing is said to It is the heart of

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