Basic functions

Management operates through various functions, often classified as planning, organizing, staffing, leading/directing,
and controlling/monitoring.i.e

• Planning: Deciding what needs to happen in the future (today, next week, next month, next year, over the
next 5 years, etc.) and generating plans for action.
• Organizing: (Implementation) making optimum use of the resources required to enable the successful
carrying out of plans.
• Staffing: Job Analyzing, recruitment, and hiring individuals for appropriate jobs.
• Leading/Directing: Determining what needs to be done in a situation and getting people to do it.
• Controlling/Monitoring: Checking progress against plans.
• Motivation : Motivation is also a kind of basic function of management, because without motivation,
employees cannot work effectively. If motivation doesn't take place in an organization, then employees may
not contribute to the other functions (which are usually set by top level management).

Basic roles

• Interpersonal: roles that involve coordination and interaction with employees.

• Informational: roles that involve handling, sharing, and analyzing information.
• Decisional: roles that require decision-making.

Management skills

• Technical: used for specialized knowledge required for work.

• Political: used to build a power base and establish connections.
• Conceptual: used to analyze complex situations.
• Interpersonal: used to communicate, motivate, mentor and delegate.
• Diagnostic: ability to visualise most appropriate response to a situation.

Top-Level Managers: typically consist of Board of Directors, President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officers, etc.
These individuals are mainly responsible for controlling and overseeing all the departments in the organization. They
develop goals, strategic plans, and policies for the company, as well as make many decisions on the direction of the
business. In addition, top-level managers play a significant role in the mobilization of outside resources and are for the
most part responsible for the shareholders and general public.

Middle-Level Managers: typically consist of General Managers, Branch Managers, Department Managers, etc. These
individuals are mainly responsible to the top management for the functioning of their department. They devote more
time to organizational and directional functions. Their roles can be emphasized as executing plans of the organization
in conformance with the company's policies and the objectives of the top management, they define and discuss
information and policies from top management to lower management, and most importantly they inspire and provide
guidance to lower level managers towards better performance.

First-Level Managers: typically consist of Supervisors, Section Officers, Foreman, etc. These individuals focus more
on the controlling and direction of management functions. For instance, they assign tasks and jobs to employees,
guide and supervise employees on day-to-day activities, look after the quantity and quality of the production of the
company, make recommendations, suggestions, and communicate employee problems to the higher level above, etc.
In this level, managers are the "image builders" of the company considering they are the only ones who have direct
contact with employees.

Instructional needs at different management levels(According to Lawrence S. Kleiman, the skills

mentioned below are needed at different managerial levels)
First-Level Managers:
-Basic supervision.
-Motivation.
-Career planning.
-Performance feedback.

Middle-Level Managers:
-Designing and implementing effective group and intergroup work and information systems.
-Defining and monitoring group-level performance indicators.
-Diagnosing and resolving problems within and among work groups.
-Designing and implementing reward systems that support cooperative behavior.

Top-Level Managers:
-Broadening their understanding of how factors such as competition, world economies, politics, and social trends
influence the effectiveness of the organization.

Elements of Delegation

1. Authority - in context of a business organization, authority can be defined as the power and right of a person
to use and allocate the resources efficiently, to take decisions and to give orders so as to achieve the
organizational objectives. Authority must be well- defined. All people who have the authority should know what
is the scope of their authority is and they shouldn’t misutilize it. Authority is the right to give commands,
orders and get the things done. The top level management has greatest authority. Authority always flows from
top to bottom. It explains how a superior gets work done from his subordinate by clearly explaining what is
expected of him and how he should go about it. Authority should be accompanied with an equal amount of
responsibility. Delegating the authority to someone else doesn’t imply escaping from accountability.
Accountability still rest with the person having the utmost authority.
2. Responsibility - is the duty of the person to complete the task assigned to him. A person who is given the
responsibility should ensure that he accomplishes the tasks assigned to him. If the tasks for which he was held
responsible are not completed, then he should not give explanations or excuses. Responsibility without
adequate authority leads to discontent and dissatisfaction among the person. Responsibility flows from bottom
to top. The middle level and lower level management holds more responsibility. The person held responsible
for a job is answerable for it. If he performs the tasks assigned as expected, he is bound for praises. While if he
doesn’t accomplish tasks assigned as expected, then also he is answerable for that.
3. Accountability - means giving explanations for any variance in the actual performance from the expectations
set. Accountability can not be delegated. For example, if ’A’ is given a task with sufficient authority, and ’A’
delegates this task to B and asks him to ensure that task is done well, responsibility rest with ’B’, but
accountability still rest with ’A’. The top level management is most accountable. Being accountable means
being innovative as the person will think beyond his scope of job. Accountability, in short, means being
answerable for the end result. Accountability can’t be escaped. It arises from responsibility.

For achieving delegation, a manager has to work in a system and has to perform following steps : -

1. Assignment of tasks and duties

2. Granting of authority
3. Creating responsibility and accountability

Delegation of authority is the base of superior-subordinate relationship, it involves following steps:-

1. Assignment of Duties - The delegator first tries to define the task and duties to the subordinate. He also has
to define the result expected from the subordinates. Clarity of duty as well as result expected has to be the
first step in delegation.
2. Granting of authority - Subdivision of authority takes place when a superior divides and shares his authority
with the subordinate. It is for this reason, every subordinate should be given enough independence to carry
the task given to him by his superiors. The managers at all levels delegate authority and power which is
attached to their job positions. The subdivision of powers is very important to get effective results.
3. Creating Responsibility and Accountability - The delegation process does not end once powers are
granted to the subordinates. They at the same time have to be obligatory towards the duties assigned to
them. Responsibility is said to be the factor or obligation of an individual to carry out his duties in best of his
ability as per the directions of superior. Responsibility is very important. Therefore, it is that which gives
effectiveness to authority. At the same time, responsibility is absolute and cannot be shifted. Accountability,
on the others hand, is the obligation of the individual to carry out his duties as per the standards of
performance. Therefore, it is said that authority is delegated, responsibility is created and accountability is
imposed. Accountability arises out of responsibility and responsibility arises out of authority. Therefore, it
becomes important that with every authority position an equal and opposite responsibility should be attached.

Therefore every manager,i.e.,the delegator has to follow a system to finish up the delegation process. Equally
important is the delegatee’s role which means his responsibility and accountability is attached with the authority over
to here.
Relationship between Authority and Responsibility

Authority is the legal right of person or superior to command his subordinates while accountability is the obligation of
individual to carry out his duties as per standards of performance Authority flows from the superiors to
subordinates,in which orders and instructions are given to subordinates to complete the task. It is only through
authority, a manager exercises control. In a way through exercising the control the superior is demanding
accountability from subordinates. If the marketing manager directs the sales supervisor for 50 units of sale to be
undertaken in a month. If the above standards are not accomplished, it is the marketing manager who will be
accountable to the chief executive officer. Therefore, we can say that authority flows from top to bottom and
responsibility flows from bottom to top. Accountability is a result of responsibility and responsibility is result of
authority. Therefore, for every authority an equal accountability is attached.

Importance of Delegation

Delegation of authority is a process in which the authority and powers are divided and shared amongst the
subordinates. When the work of a manager gets beyond his capacity, there should be some system of sharing the
work. This is how delegation of authority becomes an important tool in organization function. Through delegation, a
manager, in fact, is multiplying himself by dividing/multiplying his work with the subordinates. The importance of
delegation can be justified by -

1. Through delegation, a manager is able to divide the work and allocate it to the subordinates. This helps in
reducing his work load so that he can work on important areas such as - planning, business analysis etc.
2. With the reduction of load on superior, he can concentrate his energy on important and critical issues of
concern. This way he is able to bring effectiveness in his work as well in the work unit. This effectivity helps a
manager to prove his ability and skills in the best manner.
3. Delegation of authority is the ground on which the superior-subordinate relationship stands. An organization
functions as the authority flows from top level to bottom. This in fact shows that through delegation, the
superior-subordinate relationship become meaningful. The flow of authority is from top to bottom which is a
way of achieving results.
4. Delegation of authority in a way gives enough room and space to the subordinates to flourish their abilities
and skill. Through delegating powers, the subordinates get a feeling of importance. They get motivated to
work and this motivation provides appropriate results to a concern. Job satisfaction is an important criterion to
bring stability and soundness in the relationship between superior and subordinates. Delegation also helps in
breaking the monotony of the subordinates so that they can be more creative and efficient. Delegation of
authority is not only helpful to the subordinates but it also helps the managers to develop their talents and
skills. Since the manager get enough time through delegation to concentrate on important issues, their
decision-making gets strong and in a way they can flourish the talents which are required in a manager.
Through granting powers and getting the work done, helps the manager to attain communication skills,
supervision and guidance, effective motivation and the leadership traits are flourished. Therefore it is only
through delegation, a manager can be tested on his traits.
5. Delegation of authority is help to both superior and subordinates. This, in a way, gives stability to a concern’s
working. With effective results, a concern can think of creating more departments and divisions flow working.
This will require creation of more managers which can be fulfilled by shifting the experienced, skilled
managers to these positions. This helps in both virtual as well as horizontal growth which is very important for
a concern’s stability.

Therefore, from the above points, we can justify that delegation is not just a process but it is a way by which manager
multiples himself and is able to bring stability, ability and soundness to a concern.

The Board of Registration in Nursing presents this framework for delegation decision-making and accountability based
on a model which identifies the five (5) key elements of any delegated act:

• Right Task
• Right Circumstances
• Right Person
• Right Direction/Communication
• Right Supervision/Evaluation

The Five (5) Rights of Delegation clarify the critical components of the delegation decision-making process. The Five
Rights delineate professional and legal accountability for nurses at all levels, from nursing service administrators to
staff nurses. Nursing service administrators and staff nurses must work together collaboratively and cooperatively to
protect the public and maintain integrity of the nursing care delivery system.
Right Task
Nursing Service Administrator (NSA) Staff Nurse
Appropriate activities for consideration in delegation decisions are Appropriate delegation activities are
identified in UAP job descriptions/role delineation. identified for specific patients.
Organizational policies, procedures and standards describe expectations of Appropriate activities are identified for
and limits to activities. specific UAP
Generally, appropriate activities for consideration in delegation decision-making include those:
which frequently recur in the daily care of a patient or group of patients
which recognize that UAP do not have a knowledge base upon which to make nursing judgments;
which do not require complex or multi-dimensional application of the nursing process by a licensed nurse;
for which the results are predictable and the potential risk is minimal; and
which utilize a standard and unchanging procedure.

Right Circumstances
Nursing Service Administrator (NSA) Staff Nurse

Assess the health status of the patient community, analyze the data Assess health status of individual patient(s),
and identify collective nursing care needs, priorities and necessary analyze the data and identify patient-specific
resources. goals and nursing care needs.
Provide appropriate staffing and skill mix, identify clear lines of Match the complexity of the activity with the UAP
authority and reporting, and provide sufficient equipment and competency and with the level of supervision
supplies to meet the collective nursing care needs. available.
Provide for appropriate supervision for safe,
Provide appropriate preparation in management techniques to
effective performance of the activity and
deliver and delegate care.
determination of the patient's response.

Right Person
Nursing Service Administrator (NSA) Staff Nurse
Establish organizational standards consistent with applicable law and rules Instruct and/or assess, verify and identify
which identify educational and training requirements and competency the UAP's competency on an individual,
measurements of nurses and UAPs. task and patient-specific basis.
Implement own professional activities
based on assessed needs and professional
Incorporate competence standards into institutional policies; assess nurse standards and take steps to remedy failure
and UAP performance; perform evaluations based upon standards; and to meet standards;
take steps to remedy failure to meet standards, including reporting nurses Perform evaluations of UAP performance
who fail to meet standards to the Board of Nursing based upon standards and take steps to
remedy failure to meet standards.

Right Direction/Communication
Nursing Service Administrator (NSA) Staff Nurse
Communicate acceptable activities, UAP competencies and Communicate delegation decision on a patient-
qualifications, and the supervision plan through a description of a specific and UAP-specific basis. The detail and
nursing service delivery model, standards of care, role descriptions method (oral and/or written) vary with the specific
and policies/procedures. circumstances.
Situation specific communication includes:
specific data to be collected and method and time
for reporting
specific activities to be performed and any
Monitor and evaluate the process and outcome. Communicate data
patient-specific instruction and limitation; and
to all involved parties to improve process and outcome.
the expected results or potential complications
and time lines for communicating such
information

Right Supervision/Evaluation

Supervision shall be provided by the delegating licensed nurse or by other licensed nurses designated by nursing
service administrators or the delegating nurse. The supervising nurse must know the expected method of supervision
(direct or indirect), the competencies and qualifications of UAP, the nature of the activities which have been delegated,
and the stability/predictability of patient condition.
Nursing Service Administrator (NSA) Staff Nurse
Provide appropriate staffing and skill mix, identify clear lines of authority Supervise performance of specific nursing
and reporting, and provide sufficient equipment and supplies to meet activities or assign supervision to other
the collective nursing care needs. licensed nurses
Identify the licensed nurses responsible to provide supervision by
position, title, role delineation. and competency. Provide directions and clear expectations of
Provide directions and clear expectations of how the activity is to be how the activity is to be performed:
performed: monitor performance and intervene as
- monitor performance and intervene as necessary; necessary
- obtain and provide feedback obtain and provide feedback
- ensure proper documentation. ensure proper documentation.

Evaluate the entire delegation process:

- evaluate the patient; and
Evaluate outcomes of patient community and use information to develop
- evaluate the performance of the activity.
quality assurance and to contribute to risk management plans.
- evaluate the outcome of delegation.
Scope of change management.

The purpose of defining these change management areas is to ensure that there is a common understanding among
readers. Tools or components of change management include:

• Change management process

• Readiness assessments
• Communication and communication planning
• Coaching and manager training for change management
• Training and employee training development
• Sponsor activities and sponsor roadmaps
• Resistance management
• Data collection, feedback analysis and corrective action
• Celebrating and recognizing success

Change management process

The change management process is the sequence of steps or activities that a change management team or project
leader would follow to apply change management to a project or change. Based on Prosci's research of the most
effective and commonly applied change, most change management processes contain the following three phases:

Phase 1 - Preparing for change (Preparation, assessment and strategy development)

Phase 2 - Managing change (Detailed planning and change management implementation)

Phase 3 - Reinforcing change (Data gathering, corrective action and recognition)

It is important to note what change management is and what change management is not, as defined by the majority of
research participants.
Change management is not a stand-alone process for designing a business solution.
Change management is the processes, tools and techniques for managing the people-side of change.
Change management is not a process improvement method.
Change management is a method for reducing and managing resistance to change when implementing process,
technology or organizational change.
Change management is not a stand-alone technique for improving organizational performance.
Change management is a necessary component for any organizational performance improvement process to succeed,
including programs like: Six Sigma, Business Process Reengineering, Total Quality Management, Organizational
Development, Restructuring and continuous process improvement.
Change management is about managing change to realize business results.

Readiness assessments
COMMUNICATION NOISE

Environmental Noise: Noise that physically disrupts communication, such as standing next to loud speakers at a
party, or the noise from a construction site next to a classroom making it difficult to hear the professor.

Physiological-Impairment Noise: Physical maladies that prevent effective communication, such as actual deafness
or blindness preventing messages from being received as they were intended.

Semantic Noise: Different interpretations of the meanings of certain words. For example, the word "weed" can be
interpreted as an undesirable plant in your yard, or as a euphemism for marijuana.

Syntactical Noise: Mistakes in grammar can disrupt communication, such as abrupt changes in verb tense during a
sentence.

Organizational Noise: Poorly structured communication can prevent the receiver from accurate interpretation. For
example, unclear and badly stated directions can make the receiver even more lost.

Cultural Noise: Stereotypical assumptions can cause misunderstandings, such as unintentionally offending a non-
Christian person by wishing them a "Merry Christmas".

Psychological Noise: Certain attitudes can also make communication difficult. For instance, great anger or sadness
may cause someone to lose focus on the present moment. Disorders such as Autism may also severely hamper
effective communication.

COMMUNICATION STYLE

Assertive Communication

The most effective and healthiest form of communication is the assertive style. It's how we naturally express ourselves
when our self-esteem is intact, giving us the confidence to communicate without games and manipulation.

When we are being assertive, we work hard to create mutually satisfying solutions. We communicate our needs clearly
and forthrightly. We care about the relationship and strive for a win/win situation. We know our limits and refuse to be
pushed beyond them just because someone else wants or needs something from us. Surprisingly, assertive is the style
most people use least.
Aggressive Communication

Aggressive communication always involves manipulation. We may attempt to make people do what we want by
inducing guilt (hurt) or by using intimidation and control tactics (anger). Covert or overt, we simply want our needs
met - and right now! Although there are a few arenas where aggressive behavior is called for (i.e., sports or war), it will
never work in a relationship. Ironically, the more aggressive sports rely heavily on team members and rational
coaching strategies. Even war might be avoided if we could learn to be more assertive and negotiate to solve our
problems.

Passive Communication

Passive communication is based on compliance and hopes to avoid confrontation at all costs. In this mode we don't
talk much, question even less, and actually do very little. We just don't want to rock the boat. Passives have learned
that it is safer not to react and better to disappear than to stand up and be noticed.

Passive-Aggressive Communication

A combination of styles, passive-aggressive avoids direct confrontation (passive), but attempts to get even through
manipulation (aggressive). If you've ever thought about making that certain someone who needs to be "taught a thing
or two" suffer (even just a teeny bit), you've stepped pretty close to (if not on into) the devious and sneaky world of
the passive-aggressive. This style of communication often leads to office politics and rumour-mongering.

Communication Styles According to Types of Individuals

Open Communicators
People who are receptive express their emotions and feelings in a free manner. They prefer to have an informal
conversation before getting into actual business activities. This includes getting to know business partners and
important corporate personnel in the practice, or frequently having personal souvenirs or pictures on display. Hence,
thrusting ahead into the workplace and anticipating rapid indecisive answers and responses is not appropriate. If you
are in conversation with a receptive communicator, it is recommended to ask few informal questions first and then
start with business communication. Some questions include how long he has been in the business, how was his first
job experience, and similar other questions regarding his career path.

Reserved Communicators
These types of communicators do not like to let other people know about their personal life. They are very reserved,
and do not prefer to share personal information and how do they think about things. If you are an open communicator,
and are speaking to such kind of people, you need to remember that asking a personal question will make them feel
uneasy. Such people are usually busy doing work and do not participate in workplace communication activities.

Indirect Communicators
The talk of these individuals is very slow and intentional. They do not like loud, fast, and excessively aggressive talk. In
addition, they concentrate more on the facts and figures, rather than just assumptions. If you are in conversation with
an indirect communicator, you need to understand that you should have proof for backing up your suggestions,
answers, and views.

Direct Communicators
Individuals who are direct talk more clamorously and rapidly than indirect communicators. They take risks easily, are
aggressively self-assured, and are related to 'type A' personalities. If you are in conversation with a direct
communicator, just ensure that you get to the point straightaway, be confident about what you say, provide solid
instances of your achievements, and be alert when you talk. Read more on techniques for effective corporate
communication.