Principles of Directing
Directing means giving instructions, guiding, and counseling, motivating and leading the staff in an organization in doing work to achieve Organizational goals. Providing good and effective directing is a challenging task as it involves many complexities. A manager has to deal with people with diverse background, expectations. This complicates the directing process. Certain guiding principles of directing may help in directing process. These principles are briefly explained below:
Maximum individual contribution: This principle emphasises that directing techniques must help every individual in the organization to contribute to his maximum potential for achievement of organizational objectives.
Harmony of objectives: Very often, we find that individual objectives of employees and the organizational objectives as understood are conflicting to each other. For example, an employee may expect attractive salary and monetary benefits to fulfil his personal needs.
Unity of Command: This principle insists that a person in the organization should receive instructions from one superior only. If instructions are received from more than one, it creates confusion, conflict and disorder in the organization.
Appropriateness of direction technique: According to this principle, appropriate motivational and leadership technique should be used while directing the people based on subordinate needs, capabilities, attitudes and other situational variables.
Managerial communication: Effective managerial communication across all the levels in the organization makes direction effective. Directing should convey clear instructions to create total understanding to subordinates.
Use of informal organization: A manager should realize that informal groups or organizations exist within every formal organization. He should spot and make use of such organizations for effective directing.
Leadership: While directing the subordinates, managers should exercise good leadership as it can influence the subordinates positively without causing dissatisfaction among them.
