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Directing

INTRODUCTION After planning, organising and staffing, the management is required to initiate actual action for which direction is required. Direction, as an important function of management emerges, when plans for achieving desired objectives of the business are actually implemented. The true success of the direction depends upon the proper motivation of workers and supervision of their efforts. It requires effective communication system' and competent leadership. Broadly speaking, Directing includes supervision, motivation, leadership and communication.

Direction is the process of activating human resources to achieve the objective of the business. The _ word direction literally means moving into action i.e., activating human resources towards attaining the objectives of the business. Direction in this way is the heart of management in action. Direction is concerned with initiating, mobilising and integrating human efforts to achieve the goals of the enterprise. Direction is inter-personal aspect of management. Recruitment of competent and talented staff is not enough, unless they are motivated and their efforts are properly supervised, directed and controlled. In the absence of effective direction the enterprise will become inactive, inefficient and dull.

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'Directing undoubtedly is the process around which the business activities revolve. It clearly indicates that direction is the practical aspect of management involving motivation, supervision, communication and effective leadership of human resources.

1.1 Features/Nature of Direction

Direction is the process of converting business plans to performance. It is continuous activity and pervasive by nature. The nature of direction is summarised as follows :

1. Management function. Directing is undoubtedly an important function of management. Managers get work done smoothly and successfully through effective direction. They guide the efforts ana energies of employees towards desired organisational goal through effective supervision, leadership and communication. 2. Direction is related to performance. Direction as practical aspect of management converts the plans into performance. It initiates integrated action of the human force and translates plans into practice. 3. Direction is pervasive function of management at aU levels. Direction is the function of management at all levels. Time spent on direction at lower level is more than the time spent at higher level. 4. Direction is a continuous activity. The manager has to guide, supervise, motivate and lead the efforts of his subordinates continuously. He is required to ensure himself, whether his orders and instructions are carried out properly and performance is according to predetermined standards. 5. Direction is an effective supervision and leadership. Direction is concerned with the extracting of maximum worth of the employees and achieving the objectives of the business. This will be possible through competent and effective supervision and leadership. 6. Direction is actlvating and motivating force. Direction at the top of the managerial position works sincerely. By virtue of his competence, sympathetic attitude and human behaviour he motivates and activates the workers to perform better and more. 7. Communication is the basis for successful direction. In the absence of effective communication, direction will meet failure. The cherished goal of the business can be attained smoothly, if there is no communication gap and messages, instructions and direction reach the communicatee intact, well in time ..

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Direction as interpersonal aspect of the management plays significant role for the success of the business:

1. Direction deals with human factor. Direction is an important function of management, because it deals with human being, an essential and sensitive factor of production. Effective direction gets work done smoothly. 2. Direction initiates actions. Direction initiates work and activates the working force by enthusing them to contribute their dedicated efforts in achieving objectives of the business. 3. Direction integrates employees efforts. Direction, as heart of management-in-action integrates the efforts of individuals and groups and leads it towards attaining the goal of the business. 4. Direction facilitates changes. -Most of the employees prefer to go on performing their routine work. They prefer to remain indifferent to new ideas and techniques and unwilling to implement changes. In case, there is effective direction, workers will be induced to accept changes and challenge of the job pleasantly. 5. Direction is important at all levels of the management. All the three levels of management i.e., top level and bottom level have to perform managerial function of direction: Direction is executory by nature, so it involves more operations at lower level of management, less at medium level and lesser at top level. 6. Direction is helpful in making effective plans. Direction, through the process of two way communication notes the reactions of employees towards managerial plans and policies and makes necessary modification therein as required. 7. Direction is means of motivation. In order to get the best result from business operations, it is necessary to motivate the workers to contribute their best energies and abilities. Workers, if properly motivated put their heart and mind into their piece of work willingly and pleasantly. 8. Direction provides stability to the enterprise. Effective supervision, motivation, leadership and communication results in the growth of the enterprise at faster rate. The venture becomes sound, stable and stronger, because the energies and abilities of workers are fully utilised in the interest of enterprise.

Direction is an effort to achieve the desired result of the operations. This-is why, it has to take various steps to achieve this end. An effective direction applies the following principles :

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1. Principle of achieving objectives. According to this principle, the management should try its best that all the efforts of the enterprise should be aimed at achieving the objectives of the business. 2. Principle of harmony of objectives. Every employee should co-ordinate his efforts to achieve the group objectives. They should not stick to their individual interest but work for the collective interest. 3. Principle of unity of command. The subordinate should receive orders and instructions from one boss alone and he should be answerable to him. This will avoid duplication, delay and misunderstanding regarding work. . 4. Principles of managerial communication. There should be proper and effective communication of orders, instructions, requests, complaints and messages between the subordinates and executives. 5. Principle of efficiency of direction. Employees' effort~d so that maximum objectives should be achieved at minimum sacrifice. energies should be properly directed,

. 6. Principle of direct supervision, There should be proper and personal guidance and supervision of employees. They should not be supervised simply by general instructions. 7. Principle of appropriateness of direction technique. The technique of direction may be authoritative, democratic or independent. It is for the direction to adopt any of the technique, taking into consideration nature, type and prevailing situations of the business. 8. Principle of informal relation. The effective direction should establish informal relations with the employees, if situations require it. It has been the experience of management that informal relations pay rich dividends, where formal relations fail. 9. .Principle of comprehension. All the directions issued to employees must be thoroughly understood by them. Communications will be useless, if workers do not take theme. of message in the spirit, the communication desires. 10. Principle of information. The effective direction requires exchange of necessary and useful information between workers and management. .. 11. employee. Principle of leadership. The ultimate end of the direction is to provide effective leadership to

Direction consists of the following important elements :

These elements together constitute directing function. 1. Supervision. Direction is no doubt, telling subordinates, what to do and seeing that they do it to the best of their ability. It requires effective supervision and control over the workers and their work. Workers may sometimes fail to deliver the desired performance, therefore the causes of the failure are to be discovered and effective remedial measures are to be employed. All these requirements make supervision an integral part of direction. 2. -Motlvation, It is the something that motivates a person into action and continues him in the course of action enthusiastically. It may be defined as the complex of force inspiring a person at work to

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intensify his willingness to use his capacities for the achievement of certain objectives. According to Dalton E. Me Farland, "Motivation refers to the way in which urges, drives, desires, aspirations, strivings for needs direct, control or explain the behaviour of human- beings". Motivation as an element of direction creates and develops a sense of belongingness and attachments with the work and inspire an inner urge to contribute the best of efforts and energies to the job. 3. Leadership. It is an indispensable activity, which every manager has to perform for directing the people, working under him. Leadership is the ability of the manager to induce subordinates to work with confidence and zeal. According to Haiman, Leadership is the process by which an executive imaginatively directs, guides and influences the work of others in choosing and attaining specified goals by mediating between the individuals and the organisation in such a manner, that both will obtain maximum satisfaction. In this way, it is the leadership, which extracts, co-ordinates and channelises the best of energies and efforts of the subordinates towards the desired goal of the business. It is, therefore, essential that leadership should be treated as an important element of direction. 4. Communication, Direction involves issuing instructions, that are clear, complete and within the capabilities of the subordinates to accomplish. Communication, according to Allen Louis, 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. In order to achieve the desired result, it is necessary that workers must be told what, when and how they are expected to perform. The management should also know the reactions of the workers, their viewpoints and difficulties in the work, so that they may employ remedial measures. As such, an efficient direction requires effective communication.