Managerial functions are essential for the smooth running of a business.

They provide a
structured approach to achieving organizational goals and ensuring that resources are utilized
efficiently. According to George R Terry (1877-1955), “Management is a prominent process
consisting of planning, organising, staffing and controlling; utilising in each both science and
art, and followed in order to accomplish pre-determined objectives." This essay will further
explore the four primary functions of management which are planning, organizing, leading,
and controlling, simultaneously; investigating how these work together to create a cohesive
framework that supports business operations.

Effective managers must adhere to the fundamental management principles, executing them
in a logical sequence to achieve success. First, they need to develop a plan, in the planning
stage, managers establish organizational targets and outline a strategy to reach them. During
the planning phase, management makes tactical decisions to set a pathway for the
organization. Managers can brainstorm alternatives to achieve the goal before choosing the
best play of action. For example, Gertrude the marketing manager has a goal of increasing
sales during February. She needs to first spend time mapping out the necessary steps for her
and her team to boost sale figures, which might include targeted advertising, promotional
sales, enhanced customer engagement and follow up communication with existing customers,
all organised into a clear roadmap.
Planning is an ongoing step, that requires customization to align with organizational
divisional, departmental, and team objectives with a manager accountable for identifying and
prioritizing goals. While strategizing, managers typically conduct an in-depth analysis of the
organization’s situation considering its overall purpose and resources to develop plans that
achieve its objectives, taking into account both internal and external influences. Factors that
may affect the execution of the plan, such as economic expansion and development,
customers, and competitors. They set a practical timeline for achieving the goal or goals
considering organization’s financial resources, personnel capabilities and other constraints.
(Agbonifoh 2008)
The second of the managerial functions is organizing. This step requires one to determine
how one will allocate resources and assign tasks to employees in alignment with the plan.
The manager will need to identify different roles and ensure that he assigns the right amount
of employees to carry out her plan. One will also need empower their sales team by to
delegating tasks provide direction and guidance. The organizing phase enables managers to
assign tasks, collaborate with other departments, such as finance and human resources, and
create a productive work environment that leverage employee’s skills and motivation.
When assigning tasks, managers should clearly communicate each employee's
responsibilities and ensure they understand their roles. To boost engagement and
productivity, managers should strike a balance between workload and workload duration, and
consider external support or staffing adjustments when necessary. For example, if the
company’s brand manager works part-time and the organizational objective is to launch a
new advertising campaign for a product, the brand manager may not take on the additional
responsibility of managing the campaign, leading the company to consider hiring an external
advertising agency for support. In response to rapid sales growth in a specific geographic
area, management may decide to divide the territory into two separate regions, necessitating
the redistribution of existing staff and potential recruitment of additional team members.
(Cummings [Link] 2019)
Leading involves inspiring and motivating employees to reach their full potential, while
guiding their actions to align with the organization’s goals and objectives. It focuses on
managing people, such as individual employees, teams, and groups, instead of objectives.
Though managers may issue directives, effective leaders build strong relationships with their
team members to motivate inspire and encourage them to excel.
Managers can create a positive work environment by recognising opportunities to offer
support and encouragement and acknowledge employees’ achievements through positive
reinforcement. Managers usually incorporate different leadership styles and change their
management style to adapt to various situations. Examples of situational leadership styles
include; directing, the manager leads by deciding with little input from the employee. This is
an effective leadership style for new employees who need a lot of initial direction and
training. Coaching, the manager is more receptive to input from employees. They may
suggest their ideas to employees to work cooperatively and build trust with team members.
This style of leadership is effective for people who need managerial support to develop their
skills further.
Supporting the manager's decisions with team members but focusing more on building
relationships within the team. This leadership approach is well suited for employees with
fully developed skills but sometimes inconsistent in their performance. Delegating leaders
provide employees with autonomy, offering minimal guidance while focusing on the project's
overall vision and strategic objectives. This style is effective when team members are self-
sufficient and require little supervision. (Liberman 2014, Bligh [Link] 2018)
Controlling is the managerial function responsible for overseeing plan implementation,
identifying areas for improvement, and taking corrective action to achieve organizational
objectives. Key tasks include employee training, deadline management, and performance
evaluation. Managers supervise staff and assess the measure of their work performance; they
can assess employee performance, deliver constructive criticism, and encourage employees to
build on their successes. They may also offer pay raise incentives to high-performing
employees.
Managers may need to make adjustments such as budget adjustments, managers oversee the
budget and resources to ensure they are used efficiently and within financial limits. For
instance, if a project's expenses surpass its budget, a manager must conduct a thorough
investigation to determine the root cause of the overspending, whether it's a systemic issue or
a specific department's responsibility. Once the source of the overspending is identified, the
manager needs to take corrective action to minimize expenditure and make necessary
adjustments to balance the budget.
Staffing adjustments, managers may need to make challenging decisions such as whether to
reassign an employee who produces low-quality work to a different responsibility or dismiss
them from a project. They may also need to add additional team members to meet an
organizational target if they conclude that the team is under-resourced. If this is the scenario,
they may have to meet with organizational leaders to acquire additional funding. (Dawson
[Link].2018)
In conclusion, the four functions of management; planning, organizing, leading, and
controlling are interconnected processes that contribute significantly to the smooth running of
a business. Each function is vital to maximizing resource efficiency, employees are
motivated, and organizational objectives are achieved. By polishing up and perfecting these
functions, managers can create an integrated and coordinated organization that is well-
equipped to navigate the complexities of the business environment.

Reference list
1. Agbonifoh, B.A., (ed): (2008) Strategies management, concepts, principles and decisions,
Mindex publishing company Limited.
2. Bligh, M., Kohles, J., & Yan, Q. (2018). Leading and Learning to Change: The Role of
Leadership Style and Mindset in Error Learning and Organizational Change. Journal of
Change Management, 18(2), 116-141.
3. Cummings, Thomas G. and Worley, Christopher G., Organization Development and
Change, 11th edition, Cengage Learning, 2019.
4. Dowson, R., & Bassett, D. (2018). Event planning and management: Principles, planning
and practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
5. Principles of Management, Irwin Series in Management, George Robert Terry, Edition 7,
illustrated, reprint, Publisher R. D. Irwin, 1977, Original from the University of Wisconsin -
Madison
6. Liberman, L. (2014). The impact of a Paternalistic Style of Management and Delegation of
Authority on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment in Chile and the US. Innovar,
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