Functions of management
Planning
Planning is the manager’s ability to map out an action plan that is oriented towards attaining certain organizational goals. It entails identifying an objective, recognizing the efforts and actions that will lead to the desired goal and making a plan on how to actualize them. Planning incorporates internal factors such as a change in workforce patterns, decentralization, and complex organizational structure. It also focuses on external factors like government regulation, inflation, and unstable political environments. Planning helps prepare for the future and identify where present actions are leading to. It also aids in decision making. Planning helps managers rectify any setbacks that are likely to bring about losses to the organization.
Organizing
Organizing is an important function of management that involves bringing together all the resources required to achieve organizational goals. These include human, financial and physical resources. It focuses on identifying activities that need to be done. Forming an authority structure or governing body to run the organization and breaking it down to form smaller subdivisions that will enable the division of labor. The subdivisions should be structured and directed in a way that enhances coherence to attain desired goals. It also includes assigning and delegating duties and creating a sense of responsibility in the workforce.
Commanding
Commanding is the process of giving clear orders, instructions, and goals to the employees. This helps them understand the vision and the objective of the company and how to actualize it. Good communication skills both verbal and nonverbal and integrity are essential in management. Good communication skills maximize the productivity of the workforce through the provision of clear guidelines. Managers should guide and motivate workers. They should provide coaching and training when necessary. Managers should also perform regular audits to improve their communication skills based on the feedback.
Coordinating
Coordination is a function of management that unites various groups, department or sectors in an organization to help achieve organizational goals. It also handles matters of timing and sequencing activities. It helps in prioritizing activities from the most essential to the least important. Coordination focuses on coordinating all the other functions of management to ensure the smooth running of an organization. It also aims at stimulating positive behaviors among the employees. Positive behaviors among people foster good relationships and make it easy for the organization to achieve its goals. This brings about motivation and discipline within various departments.
Controlling
Controlling is closely related to planning. After planning and identifying the various actions that should be undertaken. The next step is to set standards to ensure all the planned activities are fulfilled. Every performance should be tested against the standards of performance to check whether they abide by the set goals and objectives. In case anything is not progressing as planned. Correctional measures should be put in place immediately to rectify the situation. Controlling is monitoring activities to ensure they align with the action plan. An efficient system is necessary as it helps identify anything that goes wrong before it happens. This ensures a quick response to situations or actions that need to be corrected.

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