Question

List and define the four principal functions of a manager (Hint: POLC).

How are these functions applied at your organization (or an organization with which you are familiar)?

How can you apply each function to more effective and efficient at simultaneously managing school, career, and family?

Answer 1

The principles of management have been categorized into the four major functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling popularly known as the P-O-L-C framework.

Planning:
Defining Organization Vision & Mission
Setting Goals & Objectives
Strategizing
Plan of Action to Achieve Goals

Organizing:
Formulate Organizational Structure
Resource Allocation
Job Design

Leading:
Leadership & Direction
Motivation
Coordination & Communication

Controlling:
Process & Standards
Review & Evaluation
Corrective Action

Planning:
Planning means determining what the organization’s position and situation should be at some time in the future and deciding how best to bring about that situation. It helps maintain managerial effectiveness by guiding future activities.

Planning as a process typically involves the following steps ?

Selection of goals for the organization.
Establishment of goals for each of the organization’s sub-units.
Establishment of programs for achieving goals in a systematic manner.

Types of Planning includes Strategic, tactical and operational planning

Organizing:

Organizing may be referred to as the process of arranging and distributing the planned work, authority and resources among an organization’s members, so they can achieve the organization’s goals.

Organizing involves the following steps ?
Creating the organizational structure
Making organizational design decisions
Making job design decisions

Leading:
Leading entails directing, influencing, and motivating employees to perform essential tasks. It also involves the social and informal sources of influence to inspire others. Effective managers lead subordinates through motivation to progressively attain organizational objectives.

Controlling:
Controlling involves measuring performance against goals and plans, and helping correct deviations from standards. As a matter of fact, controlling facilitates the accomplishment of plans by ensuring that performance does not deviate from standards.

How are these functions applied at your organization (or an organization with which you are familiar)?

Planning:

In my organization planning is done on an annual basis. Planning is done at leadership level with regards to goals and objective and theses goals and objectives are split and given to senior management and junior management level.

Plan of action for achieving the goals are reviewed at regular intervals periodically on monthly, quarterly and half yearly basis with regards to current performance and expected performance and is there any gap between current and expected performance.

Organizing:

Project management team in my organization plays a pivotal role in organizing, for formulating organization structure (Function wise) and uploading it to the company portal. All employees in the organization will be able to access the portal and view levels clearly. Team managers and Human resource team work together in the interview process in selecting the candidate and deploying them in the respective function and take care of resource allocation.

Leading:

Managers and front line leaders lead the team members by supporting in achieving the set target and also lending free hand when there is obstacle/huddle in performing the respective job function. Leaders motivate the team members by various different programs including Rewards and Recognition program. Some of the below listed category are common in the rewards program.

                Trainee of the month

                Star of the month

                Best Team

                Best Improved Team

                Edison Award

                Spirit of Service

                Pace Setter

                Absolute Support Award

                Best Trainer Award

                Best QA award

                Best Enabler

Corporate communication team communicates with all the employees in the organization by sending out details of what is happening in the organization, changes and press details.

Controlling:

Audit and Compliance team help organization in making sure the employees are following the standard set of processes, standards and work flows that were designed for effective outcome. Respective managers review the performance and observe/record for appraisal/promotions. Corrective actions are done are regular basis to ensure defects and non-conformance are first corrected and prevented permanently in occurring again.

How can you apply each function to more effective and efficient at simultaneously managing school, career, and family?

We will be able to effectively plan and deploy above principles of managerial functions in work, school and family.

Planning: Plan of Action to Achieve Goals

Develop a plan of attack. How many hours do you need to work to meet your financial commitments? Do you want to get through your studies as quickly as possible, or are you the slow and steady type? Think about your personality, goals and responsibilities, and develop a realistic plan for making it happen.

Take advantage of workplace flexibility. Ask your boss about flextime or reduced hours. Take advantage of programs like deferred pay, leaves of absence or job sharing. Find a part-time schedule that fits your needs. Is working from home an option?

Capitalize on school flexibility too. More and more universities are tailoring services to workers’ schedules via night and weekend classes, extended library and bookstore hours and kid-friendly study halls. Some courses are even taught online or on television.

Organizing: Job Design

Prioritize. Decide on your priorities and accept that something, somewhere, will have to give—and not just the housecleaning. Expect to take a pass on the occasional outing or weekend away. With so much on your plate, you can’t do everything.

Schedule proactively. Mark upcoming professional and academic deadlines on a single calendar. Plan for sudden work crises and last-minute overtime requests. Block off enough study time so you can adjust if necessary. Communicate your schedule to friends and family.

Work smarter, not harder. Kill two birds with one stone by using an actual work situation as an MBA or marketing class project. Cram in extra study time by writing study notes on index cards, taking them along, and studying in small intervals instead of longer time blocks. Tape lectures and listen to them during your daily commute. Do homework during spares rather than in the evening.

Manage stress levels. Stress is an inevitable part of being a student and a worker, so learn how to keep it in check. Take regular breaks, get enough sleep, stay physically active, get out into the great outdoors and let yourself enjoy some of what life has to offer.

Finally, remember why you’re doing it. You wouldn't be tackling work and school simultaneously if you didn't have good reasons. Although it may seem overwhelming at times, other people have succeeded, and so can you! Focus on your goals and end date whenever it starts to feel like too much.

Planning: Plan of Action to Achieve Goals

Develop a plan of attack. How many hours do you need to work to meet your financial commitments? Do you want to get through your studies as quickly as possible, or are you the slow and steady type? Think about your personality, goals and responsibilities, and develop a realistic plan for making it happen.

Take advantage of workplace flexibility. Ask your boss about flextime or reduced hours. Take advantage of programs like deferred pay, leaves of absence or job sharing. Find a part-time schedule that fits your needs. Is working from home an option?

Capitalize on school flexibility too. More and more universities are tailoring services to workers’ schedules via night and weekend classes, extended library and bookstore hours and kid-friendly study halls. Some courses are even taught online or on television.
Organizing: Job Design

Prioritize. Decide on your priorities and accept that something, somewhere, will have to give—and not just the housecleaning. Expect to take a pass on the occasional outing or weekend away. With so much on your plate, you can’t do everything.

Schedule proactively. Mark upcoming professional and academic deadlines on a single calendar. Plan for sudden work crises and last-minute overtime requests. Block off enough study time so you can adjust if necessary. Communicate your schedule to friends and family.

Work smarter, not harder. Kill two birds with one stone by using an actual work situation as an MBA or marketing class project. Cram in extra study time by writing study notes on index cards, taking them along, and studying in small intervals instead of longer time blocks. Tape lectures and listen to them during your daily commute. Do homework during spares rather than in the evening.

Manage stress levels. Stress is an inevitable part of being a student and a worker, so learn how to keep it in check. Take regular breaks, get enough sleep, stay physically active, get out into the great outdoors and let yourself enjoy some of what life has to offer.

Finally, remember why you’re doing it. You wouldn't be tackling work and school simultaneously if you didn't have good reasons. Although it may seem overwhelming at times, other people have succeeded, and so can you! Focus on your goals and end date whenever it starts to feel like too much.