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DIRECTING
CHAPTER AT A GLANCE

A. Directing: Concept, Characteristics and Importance

1. Concept of Directing: Directing as a function of management refers to the process of instructing,
guiding, counselling, motivating and leading people in the organisation to achieve its objectives. It is
concerned with the manner in which a manager influences the action of his subordinates towards the
achievement of the organisational goals.
2. Characteristics of Directing
o Directing initiates action.
o Directing takes place at every level of management.
o Directing is a continuous process.
o Directing flows from top to bottom.
3. Importance of Directing
o Initiates action
o Integrates employees' efforts
o Provides balance and stability in the organisation
o Facilitates changes in the organisation
o Means of motivation
B. Elements of Directing
1. Supervision 2. Motivation 3. Leadership 4. Communication
C. Supervision: Concept and Functions of a Supervisor
1. Concept: Supervision is overseeing of subordinates to ensure the execution of assigned jobs as per orders
and instructions issued.
Supervision can be explained in two ways:
o As an Element of Directing: Supervision as an element of directing is the process of guiding the efforts
of employees and other resources to accomplish the desired objectives. As supervision is an element of
directing, every manager in the organisation supervises his/her subordinates.
o As a Function Performed by Supervisor: The functions and performance of the supervisor are vital to
any organisation because he is directly related with the workers and is responsible for their performance,
meeting production targets and maintaining harmony.
2. Functions of a Supervisor
o Interpersonal contact with workers
o Link between workers and management
o Promotes group unity
o Helps in improving performance
o Provides training to the employees
o Motivates workers
o Provides feedback
D. Motivation
1. Concept: Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action, to accomplish the desired goals.
2. Characteristics of Motivation
o Motivation is an internal feeling.
o Motivation produces goal-directed behaviour.
o Motivation is a complex process.
o Motivation can be positive or negative.
3. Importance of Motivation
o Improves the performance.
o Develops positive attitude.
o Helps to reduce employees' turnover.
o Helps to reduce absenteeism.
o Introduces changes smoothly.
4. Process of Motivation: Motivation process is based on human needs. Unsatisfied need gives rise to
tension which stimulates his drive. He then looks for alternative courses of action and selects one. It
may lead to satisfaction of need and thereby tension is released. Again, a need arises and the process
continues.
5. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Maslow has divided the needs into five categories. Once a need is
satisfied, an individual moves to next higher level of need in the hierarchy. These needs are:
o Physiological Needs
o Safety or Security Needs
o Social or Affiliation or Belonging Needs
o Esteem Needs
o Self-actualisation Needs
6. Incentives: Incentives are the rewards or measures which are used to motivate the workers towards the
desired performance. It can be of two types:
o Financial Incentives o Non-financial Incentives
o Financial Incentives: Financial or monetary incentives refer to incentives or rewards which can he
measured in terms of money. Some of the common financial incentives are:

 Pay and allowances

 Productivity-linked wage incentives
 Bonus
 Profit-sharing
 Co-partnership/Stock option
 Retirement benefits
 Perquisites
o Non-financial Incentives: Non-financial or non-monetary incentives refer to incentives or rewards which
cannot be measured in terms of money. They can be in the form of:

 Job security
 Status
 Organisational climate
 Employee recognition programmes
 Employee participation in management decisions
 Job enrichment
 Employee empowerment
 Career advancement opportunity
E. Leadership
1. Concept: Influencing others to do what the leader wants them to do.
2. Leadership Style: The behaviour pattern exhibited by the leader while influencing the follower is known
as leadership style. The following are the styles of leadership:
o Authoritative: An authoritative or autocratic leader does not allow anybody tO take part in decision-
making except himself. He makes his own decisions and enforces his subordinates to give shape to the
decisions taken by him. In other words, centralisation of authority is the keynote of this leadership.
o Democratic: A democratic leader allows everybody to take part in decision-making. Every subordinate
is delegated the authority to make decisions concerning the duties assigned to him. Decentralisation of
authority and decision-making are the important features of democratic leadership.
o Laissez faire: This leadership is more liberal than democratic leadership and grants everyone the liberty
to make decision according to his liking. The leader does not interfere in any way with the decision-
making of his subordinate.
F. Communication
1. Concept: Communication is the sum of all things one person does when he wants to create understanding
in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and
understanding.
2. Types of Communication
o Formal o Informal
3. Flow of Formal Communication
o Vertical-It can be of two types:

 Upward-from subordinates to superior.

 Downward-from superior to subordinates.
o Horizontal-between executives of the same rank or level.
4. Communication Network: It refers to the pattern through which members of a work group communicate.
Some of the popular communication networks are:
o Wheel o Inverted
o Single chain o Circular
o Free flow
5. Informal Communication / Grapevine: Grapevine arises as a result of personal, social or group relations
between the people in an organisation. It does not follow any formal structure. It can be:
o Wheel o Single strand
o Cluster
6. Barriers to Effective Communication
o Probability network

 Semantic Barriers
 Psychological Barriers
 Badly expressed message
 Premature evaluation
 Words/Symbols with different meanings
 Lack of attention
 Faulty translation
 Unclarified assumptions
 Technical jargon
  Distrust

o Organisational Barriers o Personal Barriers

> Organisational policy > Fear of challenge to authority
> Rules and regulations > Lack of confidence of superior
> Status and position barrier in his subordinates
> Complex organisational structure> Unwillingness to communicate
> Organisational facilities > Lack of proper incentive
> Screening or filtering > Selective reception
7. Measures to Overcome the Barriers to Effective Communication
o Clarify the idea before communication
o Communicate according to the needs of the receiver
o Consult others before communicating
o Be aware of language, tone and content of message
o Convey things of help and value to listeners
o Ensure proper feedback
o Communication for present as well as future
o Follow-up communication
o Be a good listener