Management 

in all business areas and organizational activities are the acts of getting people
together to accomplish desired goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. Management
comprisesplanning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a
group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a
goal. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human
resources, financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources.

Because organizations can be viewed as systems, management can also be defined as human
action, including design, to facilitate the production of useful outcomes from a system. This view
opens the opportunity to 'manage' oneself, a pre-requisite to attempting to manage others.

Management can also refer to the person or people who perform the act(s) of management.

An excellent manager taps into talents and resources in order to support and bring
out the best in others. An outstanding manager evokes possibility in others.
1. Creativity
Creativity is what separates competence from excellence. Creativity is the spark
that propels projects forward and that captures peoples' attention. Creativity is the
ingredient that pulls the different pieces together into a cohesive whole, adding zest
and appeal in the process.
2. Structure
The context and structure we work within always have a set of parameters,
limitations and guidelines. A stellar manager knows how to work within the
structure and not let the structure impinge upon the process or the project. Know
the structure intimately, so as to guide others to effectively work within the given
parameters. Do this to expand beyond the boundaries.
3. Intuition
Intuition is the capacity of knowing without the use of rational processes; it's the
cornerstone of emotional intelligence. People with keen insight are often able to
sense what others are feeling and thinking; consequently, they're able to respond
perfectly to another through their deeper understanding. The stronger one's
intuition, the stronger manager one will be.
4. Knowledge
A thorough knowledge base is essential. The knowledge base must be so ingrained
and integrated into their being that they become transparent, focusing on the
employee and what s/he needs to learn, versus focusing on the knowledge base.
The excellent manager lives from a knowledge base, without having to draw
attention to it.
5. Commitment
A manager is committed to the success of the project and of all team members.
S/he holds the vision for the collective team and moves the team closer to the end
result. It's the manager's commitment that pulls the team forward during trying
times.
6. Being Human
Employees value leaders who are human and who don't hide behind their authority.
The best leaders are those who aren't afraid to be themselves. Managers who
respect and connect with others on a human level inspire great loyalty.
7. Versatility
Flexibility and versatility are valuable qualities in a manager. Beneath the flexibility
and versatility is an ability to be both non-reactive and not attached to how things
have to be. Versatility implies an openness - this openness allows the leader to
quickly change on a dime when necessary. Flexibility and versatility are the
pathways to speedy responsiveness.
8. Lightness
A stellar manager doesn't just produce outstanding results; s/he has fun in the
process! Lightness doesn't impede results but rather, helps to move the team
forward. Lightness complements the seriousness of the task at hand as well as the
resolve of the team, therefore contributing to strong team results and retention.
9. Discipline/Focus
Discipline is the ability to choose and live from what one pays attention to.
Discipline as self-mastery can be exhilarating! Role model the ability to live from
your intention consistently and you'll role model an important leadership quality.
10. Big Picture, Small Actions
Excellent managers see the big picture concurrent with managing the details. Small
actions lead to the big picture; the excellent manager is skillful at doing both: think
big while also paying attention to the details.
Competency mapping is a process through which one assesses and determines one’s strengths
as an individual worker and in some cases, as part of an organization. It generally examines two
areas: emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ), and strengths of the individual in areas
like team structure, leadership, and decision-making. Large organizations frequently employ
some form of competency mapping to understand how to most effectively employ the
competencies of strengths of workers. They may also use competency mapping to analyze the
combination of strengths in different workers to produce the most effective teams and the
highest quality work.

Competency mapping can also be done for contract or freelance workers, or for those seeking
employment to emphasize the specific skills which would make them valuable to a potential
employer. These kinds of skills can be determined, when one is ready to do the work, by using
numerous books on the subject. One of the most popular ones is Now, Discover Your
Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, initially published in 2001.

Buckingham and Clifton’s book, and others like it, practice competency mapping through

testing, having the person sift through past work experiences, and by analyzing learning types.
However, the disadvantage to using a book alone is that most people may have a few blind
spots when they analyze their own competency. Their perception of how others react to them
may not be accurate.

Competency mapping also requires some thought, time, and analysis, and some people simply
may not want to do the work involved to sufficiently map competencies. Thus a book like the
above is often used with a human resources team, or with a job coach or
talented headhunter. Competency mapping alone may not produce accurate results unless one
is able to detach from the results in analyzing past successes and failures. Many studies find
that people often overestimate their abilities, making self-competency mapping results dubious.

The value of competency mapping and identifying emotional strengths is that many employers

now purposefully screen employees to hire people with specific competencies. They may need
to hire someone who can be an effective time leader or who has demonstrated great active
listening skills. Alternately, they may need someone who enjoys taking initiative or someone
who is very good at taking direction. When individuals must seek new jobs, knowing one’s
competencies can give one a competitive edge in the job market.

Usually, a person will find themselves with strengths in about five to six areas. Sometimes an
area where strengths are not present is worth developing. In other
cases, competency mappingcan indicate finding work that is suited to one’s strengths, or finding
a department at one’s current work where one's strengths or needs as a worker can be
exercised.

A problem with competency mapping, especially when conducted by an organization is that

there may be no room for an individual to work in a field that would best make use of his or her
competencies. If the company does not respond to competency mapping by reorganizing its
employees, then it can be of little short-term benefit and may actually result in greater
unhappiness on the part of individual employees. A person identified as needing to learn new
things in order to remain happy might find himself or herself in a position where no new training
is ever required. If the employer cannot provide a position for an employee that fits him or her
better, competency mapping may be of little use.

Competency Mapping is a process of identify key competencies for an organization

and/or a job and incorporating those competencies throughout the various
processes (i.e. job evaluation, training, recruitment) of the organization. To ensure
we are both on the same page, we would define a competency as a behavior (i.e.
communication, leadership) rather than a skill or ability.

The steps involved in competency mapping with an end result of job evaluation
include the following:

1) Conduct a job analysis by asking incumbents to complete a position information

questionnaire (PIQ). This can be provided for incumbents to complete, or you can
conduct one-on-one interviews using the PIQ as a guide. The primary goal is to
gather from incumbents what they feel are the key behaviors necessary to perform
their respective jobs.

2) Using the results of the job analysis, you are ready to develop a competency
based job description. A sample of a competency based job description generated
from the PIQ may be analyzed. This can be developed after carefully analyzing the
input from the represented group of incumbents and converting it to standard
competencies.

3) With a competency based job description, you are on your way to begin mapping
the competencies throughout your human resources processes. The competencies
of the respective job description become your factors for assessment on the
performance evaluation. Using competencies will help guide you to perform more
objective evaluations based on displayed or not displayed behaviors.

4) Taking the competency mapping one step further, you can use the results of
your evaluation to identify in what competencies individuals need additional
development or training. This will help you focus your training needs on the goals of
the position and company and help your employees develop toward the ultimate
success of the organization.

The three essential skills or competencies are : 

1. Technical skills – involve process or technique knowledge and proficiency in a certain
specialized field, such as engineering, computers, accounting, or manufacturing. These skills
are more important at lower levels of management since these managers are dealing with
employees doing the organization’s work. 
The technical skill involves the manager’s understanding of the nature of job that people under
him have to perform. It refers to a person’s knowledge and proficiency in any type of process or
technique. In a production department, this would mean an understanding of the technicalities of
the process of production. Whereas this type of skill and competence seems to be more
important at the lower levels of management, its relative importance as a part of the managerial
role diminishes as the manager moves to higher positions. In higher functional positions, such
as the position of a marketing manager or production manager, the conceptual component,
related to these functional areas becomes more important and the technical component
becomes less important and the technical component becomes less important. 

2. Human Skills – involve the ability to interact effectively with people. Managers interact and
cooperate with employees. Because managers deal directly with people, this skill is crucial.
Managers with good human skills re bale to get best out of their people. They know how to
communicate, motivate, lead, and inspire enthusiasm and trust. These skills are equally
important at all levels of management. 
Human skills are also the ability to interact effectively with people at all levels. This skill
develops in the manager sufficient ability. 
a) To recognize the feelings and sentiments of others 
b) To judge the possible reactions to, and outcomes of various courses of action he may
undertake and 
c) To examine his own concepts and values this may enable him to develop more useful
attitudes about himself. 

3. Conceptual Skills- involve the formulation of ideas, conceptualization about abstract and
complex situations. Managers understand abstract relationships, develop ideas and solve
problems creatively. Using these skills, managers must be able to see the organization as a
whole. They have to understand the relationships among various subunits, and visualize how
organization fits into its border environment. These skills are most important at the top
management levels. 
Conceptual skills refer to the ability of a manager to take a broad and farsighted view of the
organization and its future, his ability to think in abstract, his ability to analyze the forces working
in a situation, his creative and innovative ability and his ability to assess the environment and
the changes taking place in it. In short, it is his ability to conceptualize the environment, the
organization, and his won job, so that he can set appropriate goals for his organization, for
himself and for his team. This skill seems to increase in importance as a manager move up to
higher positions of responsibility in the organization. Thus, technical skill deals with things,
human skills concerns people, and conceptual-skill has to do with ideas.
Management has been described as a social process involving responsibility for economical and effective planning & regulation of opera
enterprise in the fulfillment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are d
from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespectiv
level or status.

Different experts have classified functions of management. According to George & Jerry, “There are four fundamental functions of mana
i.e. planning, organizing, actuating and controlling”. According to Henry Fayol, “To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to comm
control”. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword ’POSDCORB’ where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for
Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Budgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ a
O’DONNEL i.e. Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling.
For theoretical purposes, it may be convenient to separate the function of management but practically these functions
are overlapping in nature i.e. they are highly inseparable. Each function blends into the other & each affects the
performance of others.

1. Planning

It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in
advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to
KOONTZ, “Planning is deciding in advance – what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from
where we are & where we want to be”. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem
solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus,
planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals.
Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is
an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc.

2. Organizing

It is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive
relationship amongst them for achievement of organizational goals. According to Henry Fayol, “To organize
a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i.e. raw material, tools, capital and
personnel’s”. To organize a business involves determining & providing human and non-human resources to
the organizational structure. Organizing as a process involves:

 Identification of activities.
 Classification of grouping of activities.
  Assignment of duties.
 Delegation of authority and creation of responsibility.
 Coordinating authority and responsibility relationships.
3. Staffing

It is the function of manning the organization structure and keeping it manned. Staffing has assumed greater
importance in the recent years due to advancement of technology, increase in size of business, complexity
of human behavior etc. The main purpose o staffing is to put right man on right job i.e. square pegs in
square holes and round pegs in round holes. According to Kootz & O’Donell, “Managerial function of staffing
involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal & development
of personnel to fill the roles designed un the structure”. Staffing involves:

 Manpower Planning (estimating man power in terms of searching, choose the person and giving
the right place).
 Recruitment, selection & placement.
 Training & development.
 Remuneration.
 Performance appraisal.
 Promotions & transfer.
4. Directing

It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for
achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered life-spark of the enterprise which sets it in motion
the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work.
Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding,
supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following
elements:

 Supervision
 Motivation
 Leadership
 Communication

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 zeal 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. It is a bridge of understanding.

5. Controlling

It implies measurement of accomplishment against the standards and correction of deviation if any to ensure
achievement of organizational goals. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that everything occurs in
conformities with the standards. An efficient system of control helps to predict deviations before they actually
occur. According to Theo Haimann, “Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is
being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation”. According to
Koontz & O’Donell “Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in
order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished”.
Therefore controlling has following steps:

 Establishment of standard performance.

  Measurement of actual performance.
 Comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any.
 Corrective action.

Management as an activity:

Like various other activities performed by human beings such as writing, playing, eating, cooking etc, management is
also an activity because a manager is one who accomplishes the objectives by directing the efforts of others.
According to Koontz, “Management is what a manager does”. Management as an activity includes –

1. Informational activities – In the functioning of business enterprise, the manager constantly has to receive
and give information orally or in written. A communication link has to be maintained with subordinates as
well as superiors for effective functioning of an enterprise.
2. Decisional activities – Practically all types of managerial activities are based on one or the other types of
decisions. Therefore, managers are continuously involved in decisions of different kinds since the decision
made by one manager becomes the basis of action to be taken by other managers. (E.g. Sales Manager is
deciding the media & content of advertising).
3. Inter-personal activities – Management involves achieving goals through people. Therefore, managers
have to interact with superiors as well as the sub-ordinates. They must maintain good relations with them.
The inter-personal activities include with the sub-ordinates and taking care of the problem. (E.g. Bonuses to
be given to the sub-ordinates).