Business

Managers ‘get things done’ – not by doing all jobs themselves but by working with and delegating to other people. Different managers will have different approaches to solving problems and when taking decisions, but the key functions of management remains the same for all managers.

Functions of management – What are managers responsible for

Setting objectives and planning

All good managers need to think ahead.
Managers need to define goals for the organisation and also develop strategies and plans in order to achieve the goals that have been set.

There are 3 steps to good planning:

Which goals should be pursued?

How should the goal be attained?

How should resources be allocated?

Organising resources to meet the objectives

Managers need to determine what tasks are to be done, who is going to do them, who reports to them, and where decisions are to be made. They may create the structure of working relationships between organisational members that best allows them to work together and achieve goals.
Managers may group people together into departments according to the tasks performed if needed.

Directing/leading and motivating staff

Managers need to guide and lead their employees, help them understand the role they have in order to ensure that their organisational goals are being met. They must also motivate their staff as this helps them work to the best of their abilities and to work as efficiently as possible. By doing this, it will make it more likely that organisational aims are achieved.

Controlling and measuring performance against targets

This involves monitoring actual performance of the organisation, comparing actual to standard, and taking action, if necessary. Managers will evaluate how well the organisation is doing in achieving its goals and takes corrective action to improve performance. Managers will monitor individuals, departments and the organisation to determine if desired performance has been reached.