Importance of Directing
Directing is an attempt to give a clear direction to employees through proper guidance, instruction, motivation, leadership, and supervision to ensure the desired goals’ achievement. Following are some of the importance of directing function of management.
Initiates the Action
Directing is the heart of management functions. It is the initiator of the paperwork like planning, organizing, and staffing into the actual work.
Only when the works are implemented the desired goals will be achieved. It aims at the effective initiation of given work by properly ordering and guiding the employees.
Proper Guidance and Instruction
Directing is the means to guide and instruct employees toward organizational goals and objectives. It gives necessary guidance and instruction to employees so that they can do their jobs effectively.
It further, assumes the principle of unity of command while giving guidance which helps individual employees do better the given task with greater efficiency.
Ensures Proper Coordination
Coordination is about syncing all the organizational efforts, people, plans, and resources together so that their collective effort results in greater performance.
By doing so synergy is achieved which ensures that the group efforts always result in greater performance and productivity.
Means of Motivation
Directing not only gives order and instructions to employees to perform the task but also motivates them to boost their performance while achieving organizational goals.
It assumes different motivation measures like incentives, non-financial benefits, target achievements, recognition, and so forth. Because it assumes that motivated employees always do more.
Gives Clear Duties
The direction function of management’s goal is to give clear duties to each employee. It helps employees to focus only on their duties and not worry about others’ duties.
The clear duties reduce the role conflicts among employees as such they become more determined in their duties.
Related: Principles of Directing
Ensures Productivity
Productivity is when the same effort results in greater performance. The effective management of people and utilization of resources directing ensures productivity in the organization.
The right duties to the right employees, proper instructions, motivation measures, and supervision measures help employees to perform better which ultimately results in increased productivity of the organization.
Reduce Employee Conflict
The proper direction also reduces conflicts among the employees. Due to various reasons, conflicts do arise such as unclear goals, ineffective communication, improper guidance, etc. Directing aims to ensure all these which help in reducing employees’ conflict and they better be able to focus on their duty.
Helps To Cope with Change
Change is an undeniable part of the organization. Due to various internal and external factors, change is certain in the organization.
Direction enables employees to accept change. Some easily accept and others are not. To enable them direction assumes different measures like motivation, effective leadership, proper communication, and proper guidance to accept and cope with the change.
Also Read: What is Resistance to Change?
Effective Utilization of Organizational Resources
The direction function of management is also a means to effectively utilization of organizational resources. It assures the right utilization of people, finance, physical, and information of the organization. Further, effectively utilizing them reduces the wastage of resources, and the time required for utilization, and increases productivity.
Organizational Goals and Objectives Achievement
The ultimate importance of directing is to help the organization to achieve its stated goals and objectives. The above importance like initiating action, coordination, means of motivation, clear goals, lesser conflicts, increased productivity, and effective utilization of resources is the witness that how directing helps in goals achievement.
Read Next: Organizing Function of Management
Important of directing in management pdf