Introduction

Organisations are social systems, composed of roles, interactions and relationship among people occupying various positions in its structure. Success of an organization in accomplishing its goals significantly depends on the nature and patterns of cooperation among individuals, and formal and informal groups. As such, people, as individuals as well as group members, constitute the pillars of organized effort. It is they who provide an organization an enduring competitive edge over its competitors and determine its ability to survive and grow in a dynamic environment. Technological, product, or strategic superiority of an organization over its competitors provides it only a temporary gain as all these things lend themselves to adaptation by competitors. But employee motivation, capabilities and climate of human endeavour are the things which one organization cannot copy from another. The importance of human factor in the success of organized effort also arises from the fact that people are not subject to manipulation like machines, as they have their own free will, and respond to organizational environment in accordance with their attitudes, motives, feelings, apprehensions, aspirations, etc. No doubt, these are all influenced by organizational policies and practices but not determined and governed by it. Moreover, human assets of organization, unlike physical assets, continuously appreciate in value, as knowledge, abilities and skills and all grow with training and experience. The ability of an enterprise to optimize its efficiency and effectiveness, therefore, significantly depends on its ability to integrate its people with the organization. The process through which this integration is achieved is called directing or actuating. The processes through which this is sought to be accomplished are the processes of motivation, communication and leadership. These processes have been treated in detail in the next chapters.

Meaning

Planning and organising provide foundation to the organisation and direction initiates action by its workforce towards achievement of its goals. Having appointed the workforce, managers ensure that they work to achieve the organisational standards of performance and in the course of doing so, satisfy their personal wants and needs. They act as catalysts for achieving organisational and individual goals. They act as agents who influence the behaviour of employees to achieve the organisational goals and also to ensure that organisation's plans and policies satisfy the interests of workforce. Managers, thus, direct employees' behaviour towards organisational and individual or group goals.

Direction is essentially concerned with mobilising and synthesising human efforts to accomplish the goals of the organisation. A manager's most important job is to direct the efforts of employees. Direction is, in fact, the heart of management-in-action. It provides necessary guidance and inspiration to the employees to contribute their efforts to organisational goals. Directing is the process of integrating the people with the organisation so as to obtain their zealous cooperation for the achievement of goals of the organisation. It is the interpersonal aspect of management which deals with guiding, influencing and motivating the employees.

Definitions

Directing is "a managerial function that involves the responsibility of managers for communicating to others what their roles are in achieving the company plan". -Pearce and Robinson.

It is "getting all the members of the group to want and to strive to achieve objectives of the enterprise and of the members because the members want to achieve these objective". -Terry and Franklin.

According to Urwick and Breach, “Directing is the guidance, the inspiration the leadership of those men and women that constitutes the real core of the responsibility of management."

Therefore, directing involves, issuing orders and instructions, overseeing of the subordinates and supervising the work being performed by them.

According to Koontz and O' Donnell, “Directing is a complex function that includes all those activities which are designed to encourage subordinates to work effectively and efficiently in both the short and long run."

Elements Of Direction 

The directing involves the following elements:

1. The manager issues orders and instructions to the subordinates to get the work done from them. Orders and instructions must be clear and complete.

2. The manager continuously provide guidance to subordinates to ensure that they do the assigned job, efficiently and effectively.

3. The manager should motivate the subordinates to work for the achievement goals. his subordinates of organisational goals

4. Leadership is the quality of behaviour of a manager whereby he guides in the desired direction. 

5. The manager, by maintaining discipline, should try to achieve cooperation of the subordinates.

Nature of Direction 

Direction is the heart and soul of management. It is the direction which provides impetus to the whole managerial functions. Planning, organising and staffing are concerned only with the preparation for work performance and it is the direction which alone stimulates the organisation and its staff to execute the plans. Hence, it is also called management-in-action.

The following points highlights the nature of direction:

1. Important Function

Direction is an important function of management. Without direction, management functions may come to standstill. It is through direction that management initiates action in the organisation. 

2. Continuous Process

It is a continuous process. It goes on. As long as work is in progress, the direction has to continue. The superior has to direct the activities of subordinates regularity. It is a process continually provide motivation to get the orders or instructions executed.

3. Pervasive

Managers at all levels and in all functional areas direct their subordinates. Top managers guide middle and lower level manager, who further direct supervisors and workers. 

4. Creative Function

Direction makes things happen and converts plans into performance. It is the process around which all performance revolves. Without direction human factor in the organisation become inactive and consequently physical factors become useless.

5. Get things done by others

Directing is a sub-process of managing process. The planning, organising and staffing are followed by directing and controlling to get things done by others. 

6. Initiating Function

It is an initiating function, because it implies giving orders and instructions for converting decisions into actions.

7. Action Oriented Process

Directing is a result or action oriented process. Through directing plans are converted into organised actions for achieving objectives.

8. Understanding the Group Behaviour

While working in the organisation, subordinates become part of the informal groups. The behaviour of a person is different as an individual and as members of the group. It is, therefore, essential that managers understand the importance and nature of group behaviour in order to direct effectively.

Advantages Of Direction 

Direction is the heart of administration as it is indispensable for work performance. Direction is needed to tell them what to do, how to do and when to do. Effective direction provides the following advantages.

1. Initiates Action

A good plan may have been prepared, a sound organisation may have been developed and a team of efficient workers may be employed. But without direction, planning, organising and staffing become ineffective.

2. Achieves Coordination

Directing aims at continuous supervision of employees' activities. It achieves coordination by ensuring that people work according to planned activities in a coordinated and integrated manner. Direction helps in coordination among various operations of the enterprise. The coordination is considered as a by-product of effective directing.

3. Facilitates Growth

Through direction, managers encourage and influence employees to contribute to the best of their capability for the achievement of organisational objectives. This facilitates organisational success and growth.

4. Facilitates Control

Coordination of employees' efforts brings actual performance in conformity with planned performance. The controlling function is, thus, facilitated through effective directing.

5. Means of Motivation

Employees are motivated to work willingly and efficiently, through the process of directing. The superior who directs the activities of subordinates inspires them to follow given orders and instruction whole-heartedly.

6. Development of Everyone

To produce desired results from all these functions - planning, organising, staffing, etc., the directing function is crucial. Through directing, other managerial functions are initiated and actuated. And without effective directing, managerial functions remain less effective. If managers and employees cooperate with each other and work in harmony, it promotes skills of the employees and develops managers to assume responsibilities of higher levels in the organisation.

7. Facilitates Changes

Changes can be introduced and managed effectively with the help of directing. Through directing the manger provides dynamic leadership and free and frank communication with subordinates as to convince them regarding the positive side of change. They may be taken into confidence and persuaded for accepting the change and giving their full cooperation for implementing it.

Principles Of Direction 

Direction is one of the important functions of management. Direction is a complex function. It deals with people whose behaviour is unpredictable. Managers perform the complex function of direction through the following principles of direction:

1. Effective Communication

Communication is an important instrument of direction. A good system of communication between the manager and subordinates helps to improve mutual understanding. The manager must ensure that plans, policies, instructions, etc. are fully understood by the subordinates in the right direction.

2. Follow through

Direction is a continuous process. Mere issuing orders or instructions is not an end itself. Direction is necessary, so the management should watch whether the subordinates follow the orders and whether they face difficulties in carrying out the orders or instructions. 

3. Unity of Command

A subordinate should get orders and instructions from one superior only, that is, all directions, orders and instructions should come from one boss. If one subordinate receives instructions from more than one superior, there will be confusions, conflicts, disorders and indisciplines in the organisation; and the subordinate may not be able to carryout the instructions of any of them.

4. Individual Contribution

Directions aim at getting maximum contribution from employees by exploiting their talent to the best. Subordinates can generally contribute more than their present performance and direction helps in enhancing their contribution.

5. Direct Supervision

Direction becomes more effective when there is a direct personal contact between a supervisor and his subordinates. Such direct contact improves the morale and commitment of employees. Therefore, wherever possible direct supervision should be used.

6. Effective Leadership

Managers as leaders, they should guide and counsel subordinates in their personal problems too. In this way, they can win the confidence and trust of their subordinates. When employees face problems in carrying out their tasks, managers provide them the necessary counselling and guidance. This makes direction effective as employees can approach their superiors for couselling whenever required.

7. Efficient Motivation

Cooperation of subordinates can be secured if they are ready to act for the organisation voluntarily. People will volunteer themselves for the accomplishment of goals if they are properly induced and motivated. Direction should be such that it inspires the employees to contribute fully towards the well being of the organisation.

8. Unity of Direction

An employee may get orders from one superior only. That is, he works under one head. For instance, all activities related to marketing must be headed by marketing manager and those related to personnel should be headed by the personnel manager. This avoids duplication of actions and instructions and results in optimum use of scarce resources.

9. Feedback Information

Direction does not end with issuing orders and instructions to the subordinates. Sometimes, suggestions given by the subordinates are necessary for the development of the management. So, a good procedure of the feedback system furnishes reliable ideas to the management.

10. Harmony of Objectives

Individuals have their own objectives. Organisation has its own objectives. The management should be in such a way that the individuals can integrate their objectives with the organisational objectives. That is, management should reconcile the personal goals of subordinates with the organisational goals.