Directing

After the plans are made and the organization is designed, managers must direct the workers in activities to meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Directing involves giving assignments, explaining routines, clarifying policies, and providing feedback on performance.

All managers, from top managers to first-line supervisors, direct employees. The process of directing is quite different, however, at the various levels of the organization. The top managers are concerned with the broad overview of where the company is heading. Their immediate subordinates are middle managers, who are responsible, in turn, for directing employees to meet company objectives. The directions of top managers to subordinates, therefore, are characteristically broad and open-ended. The further down the corporate ladder, the more specific the manager's directions become. First-line managers in the past often allocated most of their time to giving specific, detailed instructions to employees.

Progressive managers in the 1990s are less likely to be giving specific instructions to employees. Rather, they are more likely to work closely with employees to help the employees understand the overall goals and objectives of the firm. Then, in co-operation with the employees, the managers will work together to accomplish those objectives and goals. The manager's role will be less than that of a "boss" and more than of a coach, assistant, counseler, and team member. This shift in managerial direction gives employees more participation in decision making and more flexibility in how to get job done. That usually results in better work and more motivation of employees.