Directing

DIRECTING
• Directing refers to a process or technique of instructing, guiding, inspiring, counselling,
overseeing and leading people towards the accomplishment of organizational goals.
• Directing is a key managerial function to be performed by the manager along with planning,
organizing, staffing and controlling. It initiated at top level and flows to the bottom through
organizational hierarchy. From top executive to supervisor performs the function of directing and it
takes place accordingly wherever superior – subordinate relations exist.
• It is a continuous managerial process that goes on throughout the life of the organization.
• Directing is the heart of the management process, as it involves the actual implementation and
execution of plans and strategies. It ensures that people are effectively led, motivated, and aligned
with the organization's objectives. Effective directing is vital for achieving organizational success and
ensuring that all resources are used efficiently and productively.
 DIRECTION HAS FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:

Supervision

Motivation

Leadership

Communication
Elements of Directing
• Supervision – Supervision is an important element of directing. It implies overseeing the work of subordinates in
order to guide and regulate their efforts. Supervision is very important at the operating level of management. The
Supervision is in direct contact with the workers and acts as the link between workers and management. The
purpose of supervision is to ensure that subordinates perform their tasks according to prescribed procedures and as
efficiently as possible.
• Communication- It is the process of passing information view point, facts, ideas , opinion and understanding
from one person to another .It is a two way process and is complete when there is some response from the receiver
of information. Communication may take several forms like order, instructions, report, suggestion etc.
• Leadership- Leadership may be defined as the process by which a manager guides and influences the work of
his subordinates. The success of every enterprise is dependent upon the quality of its leadership. For example
Reliance would not have attained their present success but for the able leadership of Dhiru Bhai Ambani. A leader
exercises his influence over the followers through the use of informal authority or power.
• Motivation- Motivation means inspiring the subordinates with a zeal to do work for accomplishment of
organizational objectives. A manager should make appropriate use of motivational tools to actuate the subordinates
to work harmoniously towards achievement of organisational goals. Different people are motivated by different type
of rewards, which can be financial incentives or non-financial incentives.
 Nature and Characteristics of Directing

1. Element of management. Directing is one of the important functions of management. It is through direction that management initiates action
in the organization.
2. Continuing function. Direction is continuous process and it continues throughout the life of an organization. A manager never ceases to guide,
inspire and supervise his subordinates. A manager can not get things done simply by issuing orders and instruction. He must continually provide
motivation and leadership to get the orders and instructions executed.
3. Pervasive function. Direction initiates at the top and follows right up to the bottom of an organization. Every manager in the organization
gives direction to his subordinates as superior and receives direction as subordinates from his superior. Direction function is performed at every
level of management and in every department of the organization.
4. Creative function. Direction makes things happen and converts plans into performance it is the process around which all performance
revolves. Without direction, human forces in an organization become inactive and consequently physical factors become useless. It breathes life
into organization.
5. Linking function. Planning, organizing and staffing are merely preparation for doing the work and work actually starts when managers
perform the directing function. Direction puts plans into an action and provides performance for measurement and control. In this way, directing
serves as a connecting link between planning and control.
6. Management of human factor. Direction is the interpersonal aspects of management. It deals with the human aspect of organization. Human
behavior is very dynamic and is conditioned by a complex of forces about which not much is known. Therefore, direction is a very difficult and
challenging function.
7. Executive Function: Direction initiates the workforce to work towards a defined goal, and thus it is said to be an executive function.
8. Delegate Function: Direction is a delegative function, while the superiors delegate responsibilities to their subordinates they fulfill the direction .
 Importance of Directing –
Initiates action
Creates a sound work environment
Develops managers
Behavioral satisfaction
Increase in Productivity
Achieves coordination
Facilitates control
Facilitates change
Facilitates growth
Increase flexibility
Integrates Employee Efforts
 Importance of Directing
1. initiates action: Direction initiates action that motivates people to convert the resources into productive outputs. It gives
substance to managerial function of planning, Organising, Staffing and controlling. People learn to manage the resources
in the most effective way that results in their optimum utilization.
2. Creates a Sound work environment: If direction are issued in consultation with employees, it creates an environment of
understanding where people work to their maximum potential, willingly and enthusiastically to contribute towards
organizational goals.
3. Develops managers: Managers who are personally motivated to work can also direct others to work. Managers develop
their skills and competence. Motivation, leadership and communication help in bringing people together. This is
beneficial for both the employees and organisation. Direction, thus, prepares future managers
4. Behavioral satisfaction: Since direction involves human behavior and psychology, employees feel behaviorally satisfied
and personally inspired to achieve organizational goals.
5. Increase in productivity: Personally satisfied employees contribute towards output and efficiency of the organisation.
Direction gets maximum out of subordinates by exploiting their potential and increasing their capabilities to work
6. Achieves coordination :Directing aims at continuous supervision of activities. It achieves coordination by ensuring that
people work towards planned activities in a coordinated manner. It integrates the action of employees that increase their
understanding of mutual interdependence and their collective effort to achieve the organisational goals.
 CONT
• 7) Facilitates control: Coordination brings actual performance in conformity with planned performance. The controlling function
is, thus, facilitated through effective direction.
• 8) Facilitates change: Direction helps in introducing change in the organization structure and adapting the organization structure
to external environment. People are not easily receptive to changes. Direction helps in changing attitude of people in a positive
way.
• 9) Facilitates growth: Organization open to change is responsive to growth. Direction harmonizes physical, financial and human
resources, balances various parts of the organization and creates commitment amongst people to raise their standards of
performance
• 10)Integrates Employee Efforts: In an organization, the performance of an employee can affect the performance of the entire
organization. Managers assign interrelated work to their employees, integrating their efforts in order to achieve the main
objective. With directing, managers can supervise and guide employees on what to do and how to do it.
• 11)Creates Flexibility: The direction function allows the organization to cope with the changing situations through leadership
and communication. For example, if there is a change in the use of technology, the production process will change too. With
effective directing, managers will be able to deal with these changes and improve the efficiency of operations. Sometimes,
employees are against the changes that take place in the company. Managers can talk to them about their issue and help them
adapt to the change.
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

• creativity is the generation of new and imaginative

ideas, while innovation is the process of taking those
creative ideas and turning them into practical, valuable,
and implementable solutions.
• Both creativity and innovation are essential for
progress and problem-solving, with creativity providing
the foundation for innovation to thrive. Organizations
and individuals often seek to foster both creativity and
innovation to remain competitive and bring about
positive change.
• There cannot be innovation without creativity. There
can be creativity without innovation but it has no value
 Creativity v/s Innovation
Creativity Innovation:
1.Definition: Creativity is the ability to generate novel and 1.Definition: Innovation is the process of turning creative ideas
valuable ideas, whether they are in the form of artistic into practical and valuable products, services, or processes that
expressions, inventions, solutions to problems, or any other are implemented to bring about positive change and improve
original concepts. efficiency.
2.Process: It involves coming up with new ideas, combining 2.Process: It involves taking creative ideas, refining them,
existing concepts in novel ways, and thinking outside the box. developing a plan, and implementing the changes necessary to
Creativity is about the generation of raw, unrefined ideas. achieve a practical outcome.
3.Focus: Creativity is primarily focused on the individual's or 3.Focus: Innovation is about the practical application of creative
team's capacity to produce new and imaginative concepts. thinking. It emphasizes implementation and the transformation of
4.Characteristics: Creative thinking often includes traits like ideas into tangible results.
imagination, originality, divergent thinking, and the ability to 4.Characteristics: Innovations often require problem-solving,
explore unconventional ideas. resource allocation, market analysis, and a systematic approach to
make creative ideas work in real-world contexts.
5.Output: The output of creativity is creative ideas, which may
or may not be implemented. Creativity can manifest in various 5.Output: The output of innovation is a new product, service, or
forms, such as art, literature, music, or unconventional business process that has a tangible impact on society, businesses, or
strategies. individuals.
6.Role: Creativity is the precursor to innovation. It provides the 6.Role: Innovation builds upon creative ideas by translating them
raw material (creative ideas) that can be further developed and into action and results. It drives progress and competitiveness in
transformed into innovative solutions. various fields, including technology, business, and societal
1.Preparation: The first step involves preparing your mind for creative thinking.
This may involve acquiring knowledge, setting specific goals, and defining the
problem or challenge you want to address.
2.Incubation After preparing, it's often beneficial to step away from the problem or
challenge and allow your mind to subconsciously process the information. This
"incubation" period can promote new connections and insights.
3.Illumination: This is the "aha" moment when a new and novel idea suddenly
comes to you. It's the result of the subconscious processing that occurred during
incubation. This stage often feels like a sudden insight or breakthrough.
4.Evaluation: Once you have an idea, it's important to evaluate its feasibility and
relevance. Assess whether the idea is practical and how it aligns with your goals
and objectives.
5.Elaboration: This step involves refining and developing the idea further. You
may expand on the initial concept, explore variations, and add details to make it
more comprehensive.
6.Verification: Before implementing the idea, it's essential to verify its validity.
This may involve conducting research, seeking feedback from others, and testing
the idea to ensure it works in practice.
7.Implementation: This is the stage where you put the idea into action. It involves
creating a plan, allocating resources, and executing the idea in a real-world context.
8.Reflection: After implementing the idea, it's important to reflect on the process
and outcomes.
 Example
Challenge: Imagine a retail company facing a challenge of reducing checkout times for customers in their stores
to improve the overall shopping experience.

1. Preparation: The company prepares for creative problem-solving by gathering data on current checkout
times, studying customer feedback, and setting a goal to reduce checkout times by 20%.
2. Incubation: The team takes a break from brainstorming and allows the information to sink in. During this
time, they read about best practices in retail and study successful case studies.
3. Illumination:An employee suddenly has an insight: "What if we implement self-checkout kiosks in addition
to traditional checkout lanes?" This idea aligns with the goal of reducing checkout times.
4. Evaluation:The team evaluates the idea by considering the cost of implementing self-checkout kiosks,
potential customer adoption, and the impact on overall customer experience. They determine that it's a viable
solution.
5. Elaboration:The team further develops the idea by planning the layout of self-checkout kiosks, considering
the technology required, and addressing potential challenges such as security and customer support.
6. Verification:They conduct research, visit stores where self-checkout kiosks are successfully implemented,
and gather feedback from employees and customers. They verify that the idea is sound.
7. Implementation:The company creates a detailed implementation plan, allocates resources for kiosk
installation, and provides training to employees. Self-checkout kiosks are rolled out in their stores.
8. Reflection:After a few months, they reflect on the results. Checkout times have indeed reduced, customer
satisfaction has improved, and the investment in self-checkout kiosks has proven to be a successful innovation.
TECHNIQUES OF CREATIVITY
• Brainstorming
• Nominal group technique
• Delphi technique
• Story board
• Random Word or Object Association
• Mood boards
• Reverse Thinking
• Meditation
• Mind mapping
• Find w’s & H
• Find similarities & Difference
• Role Reversal
Refer Link
https://miro.com/blog/creative-techniques/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/creativity-techniques
 MOTIVATION

Motivation comes from the Latin word “movere” which means, “to move”.
Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals, conditioned by the
effort’s ability to satisfy some individual needs.
It is a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish desired goals
Motivation is triggered by the psychological tension comes due to the unfulfilled need and drive consumers to
buy. Consumers strive consciously and unconsciously to bring down their tension by selecting goals in
anticipation of fulfilling their needs.

Three Components of Motivation

1.Direction: what a person is trying to do.
2.Effort: how hard a person is trying.
3.Persistence: how long a person keeps on trying.
Characteristics of motivation
1. Motivation is a psychological phenomenon
2. Motivation is a continuous process
3. Motivation is caused due to anticipated perceived value from an action
4. Motivation varies from person to person and time to time
5. An individual is motivated by positive or negative motivation

TYPES OF MOTIOVATION :
• Intrinsic motivation :Intrinsic motivation can arise from self-generated factors that influence
people’s behaviour. It is not created by external incentives. It can take the form of motivation by
the work itself when individuals feel that their work is important, interesting and challenging and
provides them with a reasonable degree of autonomy (freedom to act), opportunities to achieve and
advance, and scope to use and develop their skills and abilities.
• Extrinsic motivation : Extrinsic motivation occurs when things are done to or for people to
motivate themThese include rewards, such as incentives, increased pay, praise, or promotion; and
punishments, such as disciplinary action, withholding pay, or criticism. Extrinsic motivators can
have an immediate and powerful effect, but will not necessarily last long.
Importanc
e of
Leadershi
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Leadership Styles

• Autocratic leadership style: It refers to a leadership style where the leader takes all the decisions by himself. Centralized
decision-making, leader controls all.
• Democratic leadership style: It refers to a style where the leader consults its subordinates before taking the final decision.
Participative leadership, team involvement in decisions.
• Laissez-faire or Free-rein leadership style: It refers to a style where the leader gives his subordinates complete freedom to
take the decisions. ’ Hands-off approach, team operates with autonomy.
• Transformational Leadership: Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams by setting a vision and aligning
the team with it. They encourage creativity and personal growth and often have a profound impact on their teams.Inspires
and motivates through vision and innovation.
• Transactional Leadership: Transactional leaders use a system of rewards and punishments to motivate their team
members. They focus on maintaining order and ensuring tasks are completed efficient. Focuses on structured tasks,
rewards, and penalties
• servant Leadership: Servant leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of their team members. They aim to serve and
support their team, fostering a positive and nurturing work environment. Emphasizes serving and empowering team
members.
• Charismatic Leadership: Charismatic leaders rely on their personal charisma and charm to influence and inspire their
team. They often have a strong vision and the ability to rally people around . Relies on personal charm to influence and lead.
Leadership style : Application
 Qualities of a Leader

• Personality: A pleasing personality always attracts people. A leader should also friendly and yet authoritative so that he inspires people to
work hard like him.
• Knowledge: A subordinate looks up to his leader for any suggestion that he needs. A good leader should thus possess adequate knowledge
and competence in order to influence the subordinates.
• Integrity: A leader needs to possess a high level of integrity and honesty. He should have a fair outlook and should base his judgment on the
facts and logic. He should be objective and not biased.
• initiative: A good leader takes initiative to grab the opportunities and not wait for them and use them to the advantage of the organization.
• Communication skills: A leader needs to be a good communicator so that he can explain his ideas, policies, and procedures clearly to the
people. He not only needs to be a good speaker but also a good listener, counsellor, and persuader.
• Motivation skills: A leader needs to be an effective motivator who understands the needs of the people and motivates them by satisfying
those needs.
• Self-confidence and Will Power: A leader needs to have a high level of self-confidence and immense will-power and should not lose it even
in the worst situations, else employees will not believe in him.
• Intelligence: A leader needs to be intelligent enough to analyze the pros and cons of a situation and take a decision accordingly. He also
needs to have a vision and fore-sightedness so that he can predict the future impact of the decisions taken by him.
• Decisiveness: A leader has to be decisive in managing his work and should be firm on the decisions are taken by him.
• Social skills: A leader should possess empathy towards others. He should also be a humanist who also helps the people with their personal
problems. He also needs to possess a sense of responsibility and accountability because with great authority comes great responsibility.
 Communication
 Communications is fundamental to the existence and
survival of humans as well as to an organization.
 It is a process of creating and sharing ideas,
information, views, facts, feelings, etc. among the
people to reach a common understanding.
Communication is the key to the Directing
function of management.
 A manager may be highly qualified and skilled but if
he does not possess good communication skills, all his
ability becomes irrelevant.
 A manager must communicate his directions
effectively to the subordinates to get the work done
from them properly.
Formal v/s informal
Types of communication networks in formal communication:

• Single chain: In this type of network communications flows from every

superior to his subordinate through a single chain.
• Wheel: In this network, all subordinates under one superior
communicate through him only. They are not allowed to talk among
themselves.
• Circular: In this type of network, the communication moves in a circle.
Each person is able to communicate with his adjoining two persons
only.
• Free flow: In this network, each person can communicate with any
other person freely. There is no restriction.
• Inverted V: In this type of network, a subordinate is allowed to
communicate with his immediate superior as well as his superior’s
superior also. However, in the latter case, only ordained communication
takes place.
Types of Grapevine network:

• Single strand: In this network, each person communicates with the

other in a sequence.
• Gossip network: In this type of network, each person communicates
with all other persons on a non-selective basis.
• Probability network: In this network, the individual communicates
randomly with other individuals.
• Cluster Network: In this network, the individual communicates with
only those people whom he trusts. Out of these four types of networks,
the Cluster network is the most popular in organizations.
Measures to improve communication
effectiveness are as follows

1.Communication of Clarification of the idea.

2.Communication should be according to the needs of the receiver.
3.Consulting others before communication.
4.Awareness about the language, tone and body postures and gestures.
5.Convey information useful to the receiver.
6.Ensure proper feedback.
7.Follow up communications.
8.Be a good listener.
 Barriers to Communication

1. Semantic Barriers
• These are concerned with the problems and obstructions in the process of encoding and decoding of a message into words or impressions. Normally,
such barriers result due to use of wrong words, faulty translations, different interpretations, etc.
• For example, a manager has to communicate with workers who have no knowledge of the English language and on the other side, he is not well
conversant with the Hindi language. Here, language is a barrier to communication as the manager may not be able to communicate properly with the
workers.
2. Psychological Barriers
• Emotional or psychological factors also act as barriers to communication. The state of mind of both sender and receiver of communication reflects in
effective communication. A worried person cannot communicate properly and an angry recipient cannot understand the message properly.
• Thus, at the time of communication, both the sender and the receiver need to be psychologically sound. Also, they should trust each other. If they do not
believe each other, they cannot understand each other’s message in its original sense.
3. Organizational Barriers
• The factors related to organizational structure, rules and regulations authority relationships, etc. may sometimes act as barriers to effective
communication. In an organization with a highly centralized pattern, people may not be encouraged to have free communication. Also, rigid rules and
regulations and cumbersome procedures may also become a hurdle to communication.
4. Personal Barriers
• The personal factors of both sender and receiver may act as a barrier to effective communication. If a superior thinks that a particular communication
may adversely affect his authority, he may suppress such communication.
• Also, if the superiors do not have confidence in the competency of their subordinates, they may not ask for their advice. The subordinates may not be
willing to offer useful suggestions in the absence of any reward or appreciation for a good suggestion.
 Strategies to Handle a Multicultural
Environment
1. Foster Cultural Awareness : Educate Yourself and Employees
Learn about the cultural backgrounds, customs, and values of team members. Conduct cultural sensitivity training programs.
Example: Hosting workshops on cultural diversity.
2. Promote Open Communication: Encourage Transparency, Use Clear Language
Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their perspectives .Avoid jargon or idioms that might not be understood
universally.
Example: Implementing multilingual communication channels.
3. Build Inclusive Policies : Design Fair Practices, Accommodate Diversity
Establish policies that respect cultural holidays, traditions, and beliefs.Offer flexible schedules to accommodate religious practices or
cultural norms.
Example: Allowing time off for diverse cultural holidays.
4. Encourage Team Building: Collaborative Activities
Organize team-building exercises that encourage cross-cultural collaboration.
Example: Cultural exchange events where employees share their traditions
CONT…
5. Avoid Stereotypes :Treat Individuals Equally, Challenge Bias
Focus on individual qualities rather than generalizations about their culture.Train employees and leaders to recognize and
challenge unconscious biases. Example: Hiring and promotions based on skills and merit.
6. Develop Cross-Cultural Leadership Skills: Lead by Example, Provide Support:
Managers should demonstrate respect and adaptability to diverse cultures.
Offer mentoring programs for employees from different cultural backgrounds. Example: Assigning cross-cultural
mentors for guidance.
7. Encourage Collaboration :Foster Diverse Teams, Leverage Strengths:
Encourage employees from different cultural backgrounds to work together. Recognize and utilize the unique strengths of
each culture.Example: Diverse brainstorming sessions to generate innovative ideas
8. Celebrate Cultural Differences :Appreciate Diversity
Acknowledge and celebrate cultural events and festivals. Example: Hosting potlucks or theme days that represent different
cultures.
9. Address Conflicts Proactively: Resolve Cultural Misunderstandings, Encourage Dialogue:
Address misunderstandings quickly and fairly.Facilitate discussions to prevent cultural barriers from escalating. Example:
Mediating disputes by focusing on shared goals.
10. Leverage Technology :Use Collaboration Tools:
• Employ tools that help bridge time zones and language barriers (e.g., translation apps, virtual meeting
platforms).Example: Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams with language translation features.