What is Direction?

What is Direction?

Direction refers to the process of guiding, instructing, motivating, and supervising employees so they can work effectively toward the organization’s goals.

Direction is an ever-present, continuing function of the manager. It is a managerial function performed by all the managers at all levels of the organization. It may be defined as a function of management which is related with instruction, guiding and inspiring human factor in the organization to achieve organizational mission and objectives.

There are three important elements in direction: (i) Leadership, (ii) communication, and (iii) motivation. ‘Direction’ has been defined by certain important management authorities as below:

• Koontz and O’Donnell. “Direction 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.”
  
  
• Theo Haimann. “Directing consists of the process and techniques utilized in issuing instructions and making certain that operations are carried on as originally planned. Directing is the process around which all performance revolves. It is the essence of operations, and coordination is a necessary by-product of good managerial directing.”
  
  
• “Direction is not only issuing orders and instructions by a superior to his subordinates, but it includes the process of guiding and inspiring them.”

Characteristics of Direction

The following characteristics emerge from the above definitions of ‘Direction’.

• Direction is a managerial function performed by all the mangers at all levels of the organization.
  
  
• Through directions management initiates actions in the organization.
  
  
• Direction is a continuing function; it continues throughout the life of the organization.
  
  
• Direction initiates at the top level in the organization and follows to bottom through the hierarchy. It emphasizes that subordinate is to be directed by his own superior only.
  
  
• Direction kills two birds with the same stone; on the one hand, it activates the subordinates to do things as originally planned and on the other, it provides opportunities before the superiors to do some more important work which their subordinates cannot do.

Principles of Direction

• Principle of integration of group goals and organizational goals. Effective direction should aim at using the groups for the achievement of organizational goals; it involves integration of group goals with organizational goals.
  
  
• Principle of maximum individual contribution. Every member of the organization should contribute this utmost. Management should adopt that direction technique that enables the subordinates to contribute maximum.
  
  
• Principle of efficiency. In order to achieve group cooperation in the efficient performance of organizational task, the manager should work with and through informal leaders. Moreover, effective direction can be achieved by involving individuals and groups in the decision-making process. It may be through inviting their ideas and suggestions, consultation of joint decision-making etc. Participative decision-making is bound to ensure effective implementation of decisions as they will feel a sense of commitment and ego-involvement with them.
  
  
• Principle of unity of command. A person in the organization should get orders and instructions from one superior only and he should be responsible to that superior only.
  
  
• Principle of effective communication. The manager should ensure that tasks, responsibilities, policies, plans etc., are fully understood by all concerned. There should be hand and glove cooperation between listening, understanding and doing.
  
  
• Principle of efficient control. Direction cannot be fully effective without an efficient, accurate and timely control mechanism for monitoring information on behaviour and performance.
  
  
• Principle of Leadership. Managers should be effective leaders also so that they may influence the activities of subordinates without dissatisfying them.
  
  
• Principle of follow through. Direction is a continuous managerial process. Merely issuing orders is not sufficient, but management should find out whether the subordinates are working accordingly, what difficulties they are facing and in the light of these the order may be modified.

Charactersitics of Good Order

A good order should carry the following points:

• The order must be reasonable and capable of immediate compliance by the subordinate.
  
  
• The order must be compatible with the purpose and objectives of the enterprise.
  
  
• The order should be intelligible, complete and clear.
  
  
• The tone of order should be appropriate.
  
  
• The order must specify the time within which it should be carried out.

Techniques of Direction

The manager has at this disposal three broad techniques of direction: consultative, free rein and autocratic.

Consultative Direction

The essential characteristic of this method is that the executive consults with his subordinate concerning the feasibility, the workability and the extent and content of a problem before the superior makes a decision and issues a directive.

It does not lessen or weaken the manager’s formal authority because the right to decide still remains with him. Here participation can occur on every level of the organization. For the success of this technique, it is essential that the subordinate must be in favour of it.

Free Rein Direction

When the manager uses the free rein technique he goes further than he does in the consultative method. The free rein technique encourages and enables the subordinate to contribute his own initiative, independent thought, drive, and ingenuity to the solution of the problem.

This does not mean ‘no-rein’ technique or that the executive relinquishes his supervisory duties or permits the subordinate to wander far afield. He assigns the task not in specific way but in general terms. Here the initiative remains with the subordinate. He will have to select the solution and carry it out.

Autocratic Direction

The antithesis of free rein technique of directing the autocratic method where the executive substitutes commands for the more informal methods and hands down detailed and precise orders in connection with close supervision of the subordinates.

When the manager employs autocratic technique, he gives direct, clear and precise orders to his subordinates with detailed instructions as to how and what is to be done, allowing no room for the initiative of the subordinate.