Meaning, importance and principles of directing

The essentials

Directing means instructing, guiding, counselling, motivating and leading people in the organisation to achieve its objectives. It is the function that sets the organisation in motion; without it, plans, structures and staff would remain idle. Directing is performed by every manager in dealing with subordinates.

Key points

• Features: directing initiates action, takes place at every level of management, is a continuous process, and flows from top to bottom (a manager directs subordinates).
• Importance: initiates action, integrates employees' efforts, guides employees to realise their potential through motivation and leadership, helps introduce changes in the organisation, and brings stability and balance.
• Principles of directing: maximum individual contribution, harmony of objectives (individual and organisational goals should match), unity of command, appropriateness of direction technique, managerial communication, use of the informal organisation, leadership, and follow-through (continuous monitoring of how instructions are carried out).
• Elements: supervision, motivation, leadership and communication.

Exam tips

• If a case describes a manager overcoming employees' resistance to new technology by explaining its benefits, the importance shown is 'facilitates introduction of changes'.
• 'Follow-through' means directing does not stop after giving orders; the manager keeps checking and helping.

Common mistakes

• Saying directing flows from bottom to top. It flows downward from superiors to subordinates.
• Listing coordination as an element of directing. The four elements are supervision, motivation, leadership and communication.