While as planning, organizing, and staffing and controlling are important facets of management, it is “direction” that synchronizes activities and maintains momentum towards desired objectives.
If employees at various levels are guided to do a job according to their own ideas, the end result may be a waste of effort if there is no meaningful direction to their effort.
Therefore, a coordinated effort to accomplish tasks and objectives with economy and efficiency becomes necessary.
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Direction initiates and guides action towards desired objectives. Many factors determine successful direction, but the important ones are delegation, communication, training and motivation.
1. Delegation provides subordinates the authority in fulfilling their responsibilities.
2. Communication provides them with necessary information in performing their tasks, and provides feedback.
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3. In-service training provides the subordinates opportunities to improve their knowledge and skills for better performance.
4. Motivation provides satisfaction to the workers in meeting their social needs and propels them to do their utmost up to their full potential.
On one hand, an organisation has logical and well- conceived plan, carefully designed organisational structure, good staffing and effective control technique.
On the other hand, there is also the need for the employees to understand the organisation, feel that it is their own, to be motivated, and to willingly contribute all they can to organisational goals. Leading is the function that fills the gap between the two.
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Effective leadership is needed to cause people to perform in a desired manner.
Because effective leadership is vitally important to effective managing and because managing also involves creation of a cohesive environment, an analysis of human factors in an enterprise and a consideration of what motivates people are called for.
Leadership, the key to effective managing, induces people to strive not only willingly but also with enthusiasm. Understanding leadership calls for understanding what motivates employees.