Four Functions of Management
The four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The United States Navy uses all four functions to carry out assigned tasks. Top executive managers must consistently apply the four fundamental functions of management to effectively plan, organize, lead, and control assigned objectives.
Planning is an active process that involves the top executives of an organization to collectively collaborate ideas to accomplish specific goals. Planning is a detail list of milestones that need to be completed at specific time intervals that meet organizational goals. Goals cannot be achieved without a plan and a plan cannot be accomplished without a goal. When the Navy plans deployments for ships, each ship must pass several inspections and certifications before approval to deploy. Each inspection and certification has to be planned approximately one and a half years before deployment. The Commanding Officer (Captain) and Executive Officer are responsible for ensuring the ship pass each inspection and certification. If the ship does not pass one of the major inspections or certifications it will not be allowed to deploy which can cause a major problem with scheduling other ships to deploy or even extend the relieving ship. Top level managers must also deliver strategic value. Letting employees know how much they are valued will give them a sense of pride and belonging. If the employee does not feel like he or she is contributing to the organization’s goal, he or she will not have value in accomplishing assigned tasks.
Organizing involves using all available resources and people, specifying job duties and creating teams that work together to successfully achieve the organization goal. Because people are the most important resource, knowing how to manage diverse people, sexes, and cultures will help eliminate poor performance, conflict, and will lead to successful accomplishments of tasks or disaster if not...