CHAPTER 7: DIRECTING

1. What do you mean by directing? What are its various characteristics?

Answer:
Directing is one of the key managerial functions and refers to the process of
instructing, guiding, counselling, motivating and leading people in the organisation to achieve
its objectives. It is performed by every manager and throughout the life of the organisation.

The various characteristics of directing are as follows:

a) Directing initiates action: While other functions prepare a setting for action, direction
initiates action in the organisation.
b) Directing takes place at every level of management: Directing takes place wherever
superior-subordinate relationship exists, starting from the top executive to the
supervisor.
c) Directing is a continuous process: Directing takes place throughout the life of the
organisation irrespective of the people occupying managerial positions.
d) Directing flows from to bottom: Directing is first initiated at the top level and flows to
the bottom through organisational hierarchy.

2. Briefly discuss the importance of directing.

Answer:

The importance of directing can be understood from the fact that every action in an
organisation is initiated through directing only. The following points emphasise the
importance of directing: -

a) Directing helps to initiate action by people in the organisation towards attainment of

desired objectives.

b) Directing integrates employees’ efforts in the organisation in such a way that every
individual effort contributes to organisational performance.

c) Directing guides employees to fully realise their potential and capabilities by motivating
and providing effective leadership.

d) Directing facilitates introduction of needed changes in the organisation by reducing

resistance towards such changes and developing the required cooperation.
e) Effective directing helps to bring stability and balance in the organisation by fostering
cooperation and commitment among the people.

3. Discuss the principles of directing.

Answer:
Certain guiding principles which help the directing process have been discussed below:
a) Maximum individual contribution: Directing techniques should bring out untapped
energies of employees and help them contribute to their maximum potential for
achievement of organisational objectives.
b) Harmony of objectives: Good directing harmonises individual and organisational
objectives by convincing the employees that individual rewards and work efficiency
are complimentary to each other.
c) Unity of command: One person in the organisation should receive instructions from
one superior only. Adherence to this principle ensures effective direction.
d) Appropriateness of direction technique: Usage of leadership and motivational
techniques should be done in accordance with subordinates’ needs, attitudes,
capabilities and other situational variables.
e) Managerial communication: Clear instructions to subordinates at all levels and timely
feedback from them makes direction effective.
f) Use of informal organisation: A manager should spot and make use of informal
groups within the formal organisation for effective direction.
g) Leadership: Good leadership can influence the subordinates positively without
causing dissatisfaction among them.
h) Follow through: After giving the orders, managers should follow it up to see whether
orders are being implemented accordingly or problems are being encountered. If
necessary, suitable modifications should be made in the directions.

4. State the elements of directing.

Answer: The four elements of directing are as follows:

a) Supervision
b) Motivation
c) Leadership
d) Communication.
 5. Write the meaning of supervision.

Answer: The term ‘supervision’ can be understood in two ways: firstly, as an element of
directing, every manager supervises his subordinates, and secondly, as a function performed
by supervisors, which is a managerial position in the organisational hierarchy at the operative
level.

Supervision refers to instructing, guiding, and overseeing the efforts of

subordinates in order to ensure optimum utilization of resources and achievement of work
targets.

6. Briefly discuss the importance of supervision.

Answer: The importance of supervision can be understood from the multiple roles performed
by the supervisor and they are as follows:

a) Acts as guide to workers: A supervisor maintains day-to-day contact with workers,

removing their doubts and guiding them out of problematic situations.
b) Acts as a link between workers and management: A supervisor conveys management
ideas to workers on one hand and workers’ suggestions and grievances to
management on the other. This helps to avoid conflict between the two groups.
c) Maintain group unity: By sorting out internal differences and maintaining harmony
among workers placed under him, a supervisor maintains their group unity.
d) Facilitate achievement of work targets: By communicating necessary instructions to
the workers, ensuring optimum utilisation of resources by them, keeping them
motivated, and maintaining discipline, a supervisor facilitates performance of work
according to the targets set.
e) Train workers: A providing good on-the-job training to workers, a skilled and
knowledgeable supervisor can build an efficient team of workers.
f) Provide feedback: By analysing the work performed by workers, a supervisor offers
them necessary feedback and suggests ways and means to develop their work skills.

7. Give the meaning of motivation, motive and motivators.

Answer: Motivation means incitement or inducement to act or move. In the business context,
it refers to the process of stimulating subordinates to act in a manner necessary to accomplish
organisational goals. It is based on satisfying the needs of people.

Motive is an inner state or desire which energises an individual to act or to move

towards achievement of goals. It arises out of the need of the individual. Realisation of a
motive causes restlessness in the individual which prompts some action to reduce such
restlessness.

Motivators are the techniques used to motivate people in an organisation. Common

motivators used by managers to influence people to contribute their best include bonus,
promotion, increment, recognition, respect, etc.

8. Briefly discuss the features/characteristics and importance of motivation.

Answer: The features/characteristics of motivation are as follows:

a) Motivation is a psychological phenomenon: The urges, drives, desires, aspirations,

striving or needs of a human being are internal to him and influence his behaviour.
b) Motivation produces goal directed behaviour: Motivation induces people to behave in
a manner so that they can achieve their goals. A highly motivated person does not
need much direction or supervision.
c) Motivation can be either positive or negative: Positive motivation provides positive
rewards like pay increment, promotion, etc., while negative motivation uses negative
means like stopping increments, demotion, etc. If an employee does not improve his
performance with positive motivators, negative motivators are used to induce him to
behave in the desired manner.
d) Motivation is a complex process: Different motivational approaches need to be used
as a single type of motivation may not have a uniform effect on all the members
because people’s needs are heterogenous.
e) Motivation is a dynamic and continuous process: An individual evolves continuously
and so does his needs. Therefore, the function of motivation needs to be performed by
managers continuously.

The importance of motivation can be understood by the following benefits it offers:

 a) Motivation helps to improve performance of employees: Proper motivation results in
satisfaction of employees’ needs and they in turn devote all their energies for
performing their work optimally.
b) Motivation helps to change negative or indifferent attitude of employees to positive
attitude: If a worker has negative or indifferent attitude towards his work as a result of
not being rewarded suitably, by motivating him through suitable rewards, he may be
made to slowly develop positive attitude towards his work.
c) Motivation helps to reduce employee turnover: If managers identify motivational
needs of employees and provide suitable incentives, employees may not think of
leaving the organisation. This would save the additional investment required for
recruiting and training new employees as well help in retaining talented existing
employees.
d) Motivation helps to reduce employee absenteeism: Bad working conditions, lack of
rewards and recognition, etc. are some of the reasons behind employee absenteeism.
Sound motivation can eliminate all these deficiencies and make work a source of
pleasure to which workers attend regularly.
e) Motivation facilitates smooth introduction of changes in the organisation: If managers
can convince employees that proposed changes will be beneficial to them, they may
readily accept the change.

9. Briefly write the process of motivation.

Answer: Motivation process is based on human needs. An unsatisfied need of an individual

creates tension which stimulates his or her drives. These drives generate a search behaviour to
satisfy such need. If such need is satisfied, the individual is relieved of tension.

Unsatisfied Need

Tension

Drives

Search Behaviour
 Satisfied Need

Reduction of Tension

10. Write a note on Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory of Motivation.

Answer: Abraham Maslow propounded the Need Hierarchy Theory of Motivation in 1943.
According to this theory, withing every human being, there exists a hierarchy of five needs.
These needs are:

a) Basic Physiological Needs: These needs are the most basic to the hierarchy and
corresponds to primary needs like hunger, shelter, sleep, etc. These can be satisfied by
providing basic salary to an employee.
b) Safety and Security Needs: After the physiological needs are satisfied, an individual
wants to achieve physical safety (from illness, accident, etc.) and economic security.
These can be satisfied by providing job security, pension, etc.
c) Affiliation/ Belongingness Needs: These includes the need for acceptance, affection
and friendship. These can be fulfilled through cordial relations with colleagues.
d) Esteem Needs: These includes the need for respect and recognition and is more
common among higher level employees, generally fulfilled through non-monetary
incentives.
e) Self Actualisation Needs: This is the highest level of need in the hierarchy and refers
to the need of an individual to realise his true potential. Growth, self-fulfillment and
achievement of goal satisfy this need.

In this space, provide the diagram for Maslow’s Need Hierarchy from the
NCERT book

Maslow’s theory is based on the following assumption:

a) Behaviour of people is based on their needs. Satisfying these needs influences their
behaviour.
 b) Needs of people are in hierarchical order, starting from basic needs to other higher
level needs.
c) A satisfied need can no longer motivate a person; only next higher level need can
motivate him.
d) A person moves to the next higher level need only when the lower need is satisfied.

This theory enables managers to realise the importance of identifying the need level of
employees in order to motivate them.

11. Discuss the various financial and non-financial incentives.

Answer: Incentives can be defined as the monetary and non-monetary measures used to
motivate employees to improve their performance. These incentives have been discussed as
follows:

I. Financial/ Monetary Incentives: These incentives are in direct monetary form or

measurable in monetary term and offered to employees on individual or group
basis. They mainly serve to satisfy the physiological, security and social needs of
an employee. The financial incentives generally used in organisations are listed
below:
a) Pay and allowances: Salary, which includes basic pay, dearness allowance and other
allowances, as well as regular increments is the basic monetary incentive for an
employee. In some business organisations, pay hike and increments may be linked to
performance.
b) Productivity linked wage incentives: This incentive links the rate of wage to the
productivity of employees, either on individual or group basis.
c) Bonus: Bonus is an incentive offered over and above the wages/salary to the
employees. It may be offered when the employees reach or exceed the target
performance, during festivals, and the like.
d) Profit Sharing: Under profit sharing, employees are given a share in the profits of the
organisation, so that they may be motivated to improve their performance and
contribute to increase in profits.
e) Co-partnership/ Stock Option: Under these incentive schemes, employees are offered
company shares at a set price which is lower than the market price. This gives a
feeling of ownership to the employees and encourages them to contribute to
organisational growth.
f) Retirement benefits: These include benefits such as provident fund, pension, gratuity,
etc. which fulfills the financial security needs of employees’ post-retirement and
keeps them motivated while in service.
g) Perquisites/Fringe Benefits: These include special benefits like car allowance, medical
aid, housing facility, free education to children, etc., and are offered over and above
salary
II. Non-Financial/Non-Monetary Incentives: These incentives cannot be calculated
in terms of money and mainly serve to satisfy the esteem and self-actualisation
needs of an employee. Generally, people working at high job positions get
satisfied with non-monetary incentives. The important non-financial incentives are
listed below:
a) Status: It refers to the rank, authority, responsibility, recognition and prestige related
to a job. Higher status fulfills the social and esteem needs of an employee.
b) Organisational climate: It refers to the characteristics which describe an organisation
and differentiates it from others. If managers take correct measures regarding certain
characteristics like individual autonomy, reward orientation, consideration to
employees, etc., it can positively impact employee behaviour.
c) Career advancement opportunity: An organisation should offer appropriate skill
development programmes and have a sound promotion policy, so that employees are
encouraged to exhibit improved performance.
d) Job Enrichment: To make the job itself a source of motivation to employees, it must
be enriched through greater variety of work content, higher knowledge and skill
requirement, more autonomy and responsibility, and opportunity for personal growth.
e) Employee Recognition: When employees do well in their work, it must be
acknowledged with appreciation by the superior, preferably in public or in the
presence of other employees. However, when there is any mistake on the part of the
employee, it should ideally be discussed in private.
f) Job security: It refers to lifetime employment with the organisation so that employees
may do their job with greater integrity. However, it may promote complacency among
employees, and therefore should come with certain terms and conditions.
g) Employee participation: It means involving employees in the decision-making
process, specially when the issue is related to them. Joint management committees,
work committees, etc. are examples of such programmes. Employees follow decisions
more sincerely when these are taken in consultation with them.
 h) Employee empowerment: It involves giving more autonomy and power to
subordinates. It makes them feel that their job is important and boosts their
confidence, which contributes positively to the use of skills and talents in job
performance.

12. What do you mean by leadership? What are its features and importance?

Answer: Leaderships is the process of influencing the behaviour of people by making them
strive voluntarily towards achievement of organisational goals. It indicates the ability to
maintain good interpersonal relations with followers and motivate them to make the
necessary contributions.

Some of the important features of leadership are as follows:

a) It indicates the ability of an individual to influence others.

b) It tries to bring change in the behaviour of others.
c) It indicates interpersonal relations between leaders and followers.
d) It is exercised to achieve common goals of the organisation.
e) It is a continuous process.

The importance of leadership can be understood from the following benefits it offers to the
organisation:

a) Produces good results for the organisation: By influencing the behaviour of people,
leadership motivates them to contribute positively towards the goals of the
organisation.
b) Creates a congenial work environment: A leader maintains good interpersonal
relations with followers and help them fulfill their needs by providing them
confidence, support and encouragement.
c) Helps in introduction of changes: A leader persuades, clarifies and inspires people to
accept changes wholeheartedly and thus helps to introduce required changes in the
organisation with minimum conflict.
d) Prevents adverse effects of conflict: By allowing his followers to ventilate their
feelings and disagreements and persuading them through suitable clarifications, a
good leader handles conflict effectively.
e) Training to subordinates: A good leader builds up his successor through suitable
training and helps in smooth succession process.
 13. What are considered as qualities of a good leader?

Answer:
The qualities of good leaders, as identified by some researchers have been discussed below:
a) Physical features: A physically healthy leader can work hard and inspire others to
work with the same tempo.
b) Knowledge: A knowledgeable leader can instruct subordinates correctly and influence
them.
c) Integrity: A leader with a high level of honesty and integrity acts as a role model
regarding morals and ethics.
d) Initiative: A leader should have the courage to grab opportunities and use it to the
advantage of the organisation.
e) Communication skills: A leader should have the capacity to effectively communicate
his ideas to people. He should be a good listener, teacher, counsellor and persuader
too.
f) Motivation skills: A leader should understand the needs of people and motivate them
by satisfying those.
g) Self Confidence: A good leader should be self-confident at all times. This will provide
confidence to his followers too.
h) Decisiveness: A leader should be able to take firm decisions and not change opinions
frequently.
i) Social skills: A leader should understand people and maintain good human relations
with them.

14. What do you mean by communication and what are its importance?
Answer:
The word communication has been derived from the Latin word ‘Communis’ which means
‘common’. Communication refers to the process of exchange of information between two or
more persons to reach a common understanding.

Communication is one of the most central aspects of managerial activities and its importance
can be judged from the following:
 a) Acts as a basis of coordination: Communication provides coordination between
departments, activities and individuals by informing about organisational goals, how
they are to be achieved, the various inter-relationships, etc.
b) Helps in smooth working of an enterprise: Through organisational interactions, the
various human and physical elements are coordinated into an efficient and active
working unit that achieves common objectives.
c) Acts as a basis of decision making: Meaningful decisions can be taken only when
communication provides the relevant information for the same.
d) Increases managerial efficiency: Communication is involved in all aspects like
conveying goals and targets, issuing instructions, allocating jobs, looking after
subordinates’ performance. It is thus essential for quick and effective performance of
managerial functions.
e) Promotes cooperation and industrial peace: Two-way communication process between
management and workers promotes cooperation and mutual understanding, leading to
industrial peace and operational efficiency.
f) Establishes effective leadership: Effective communication is key to influencing
subordinates and is therefore the basis of leadership.
g) Boosts morale and provides motivation: Communication is the basis of participative
and democratic pattern of management. It enables managers to assist workers in
making necessary adjustments in their work, and keep them motivated and satisfied.

15. Briefly discuss the elements of communication process.

Answer:
Communication has been defined as a process and involve elements like sender/ source,
message, encoding, media/channel, receiver, decoding, noise and feedback. The process can
be represented by the following figure:

Provide the figure of communication process from your NCERT book in this space.

a) Sender: Sender is the person who conveys his thoughts or ideas to the receiver.
b) Message: It is the content of ideas, feelings, suggestions, order, etc. to be
communicated.
c) Encoding: It is the process of converting the message into communication symbols
like words, pictures, gestures, etc.
 d) Media: It is the channel/path through which the encoded message is transmitted to the
receiver, and can be in written form, face to face, internet, phone, etc.
e) Decoding: It is process of converting the encoded message of the sender to derive a
meaning out of it.
f) Receiver: Receiver is the person who receives the communication of the sender.
g) Feedback: After deriving a meaning out of the message, the receiver sends his
response on the message to the sender. This is called feedback.
h) Noise: Noise refers to some hindrance or obstruction to the communication.
Examples: Faulty encoding or decoding, poor telephone connection, etc.

16. Discuss about formal communication.

Answer:
Communication taking place within an organisation may be broadly classified as formal and
informal communication. They have been discussed below:

Formal Communication: The communication which flows through official channels

designed in the organisation chart is called formal communication. It may be oral or written
but generally recorded and filed in the office. It may be further classified as upward
communication, downward communication, horizontal communication and diagonal
communication.

a) Upward communication: It is a form of vertical communication where communication

flows from subordinate to superior. Examples: Application for grant of leave,
submission of progress report, etc.
b) Downward communication: It is a form of vertical communication where
communication flows from superior to subordinate. Example: Sending notice to
employees to attend a meeting, ordering subordinates to complete an assignment.
c) Horizontal communication: It refers to communication between two or more persons
working at the same level of authority. Example: Marketing manager contacting the
production manager to discuss about product packaging.
d) Diagonal communication: It refers to communication between persons working in
different departments and holding different levels of authority. Example: Salesman
requesting the production manger to modify the product design according to customer
requirements.
The pattern through which communication flows within the organisation is generally
indicated through communication network.

The communication networks of formal communication are:

a) Single chain: This network exists between a supervisor and his subordinate.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
b) Wheel: Under this network, all subordinates under one superior communicate through
him only. The superior acts as the hub of the wheel and subordinates are not allowed
to talk among themselves. It is the most centralised way of communication.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
c) Circular: Under this network, each person can communicate with his adjoining two
persons and thus communication moves in a circle and is slow.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
d) Free flow/ All source (channel): In this network, each person can communication
freely with others. This is the most decentralised way of communication.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
e) Inverted V: In this network, a subordinate is allowed to communicate with his
immediate superior as well his superior’s superior. In the later case, only prescribed
communication can take place.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
The advantages of formal communication are as follows:

a) It is very systematic which ensures orderly flow of information.

b) The source of information can be located easily.
c) It is easy to exercise control over the performance of employees.
The disadvantages of formal communication are as follows:

a) As scalar chain is followed, flow of information is slow.

b) Information is conveyed in impersonal manner.
c) Information may not be transmitted accurately to avoid unfavourable effects of
communication.
Informal Communication: Information communication refers to that communication that
takes place without following the official lines of communication. It is generally referred to
as ‘grapevine’ because it spreads throughout the organisation with its branches going out in
all directions in utter disregard to the levels of authority. It arises out of the need of
employees to exchange the views which cannot be done through formal channels. Workers
chit chatting in the canteen about the superior’s behaviour is an example of informal
communication.

The communication networks of informal communication are as follows:

a) Single strand: In a single strand network, each person communicates to the other in a
sequence.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
b) Gossip: In gossip network, each person communicates with all on non-selective basis.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
c) Probability: In probability network, the individual communicates randomly with other
individual.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
d) Cluster: In cluster network, one person tells the information to selected other persons.
(Provide the diagram here from Poonam Gandhi’s book)
The advantages of informal communication are as follows:

To the employees:

a) It allows employees to develop friendly relationships and derive social satisfaction.

b) It allows the discussion of matters which cannot be discussed through formal
channels.
c) It provides information to all the members cutting across the official channels.
To the managers:

a) It helps to fill up communication gap.

b) As information travels fast through informal communication, it can help the delivery
of urgent messages.
c) It provides true and accurate response of subordinates on various policy matters.
d) It offers emotional relief to employees and prevents union-management conflicts.
The disadvantages of informal communication are as follows:

a) The information can get distorted as it travels in an unsystematic manner.

b) It may spread rumours and false facts.
c) As the source of information cannot be know, responsibility cannot be fixed.
d) Confidential information may get leaked.
 17. Discuss the barriers to communication.
Answer:
The barriers to effective communication can be broadly grouped as:
a) Semantic barriers
b) Psychological barriers
c) Organisational barriers
d) Personal barriers
They have been discussed below:
a) Semantic barriers: Semantic barriers are concerned with the faulty encoding and
decoding of messages. For example:
 Badly expressed message on account of usage of wrong words, omission of
needed words, etc.
 Symbols or words with different meanings.
 Faulty translations
 Unclarified assumptions
 Usage of technical jargons when the audience is not a specialist in the
concerned field.
 Lack of match between what is said and what is expressed through body
language.
b) Psychological barriers: They are concerned with emotional and psychological factors.
For example:
 Premature evaluation due to pre-conceived notions or prejudices.
 Lack of attention caused by the pre-occupied mind of the receiver of message.
 Loss by transmission when the communication passes through various levels
and poor retention when inattentive or disinterested.
 Distrust between communicator and communicated as a result of which the
message cannot be understood in its original sense.
c) Organisational barriers: Factors related to organisational structure, rules and
regulations, etc. may sometimes act as barriers to effective communication. For
example:
 Organisational policy not supportive of free flow of communication.
  Rigid rules and cumbersome procedure may result in communication delays.
 Status conscious superior who does not allow his subordinates to express their
feelings freely.
 Complexity in organisational structure caused by too many managerial levels
may delay or distort a message due to too many filtering points.
 Lack of organisational facilities like frequent meetings, suggestions box,
complaint box, social gatherings, operational transparency, etc.
d) Personal barriers: Some personal factors of sender and receiver may exert a negative
influence on effective communication. For example:
 Fear of challenge to authority leading to withholding or suppression of
communication.
 Lack of confidence of superior on his subordinates may stop him from seeking
their advice or opinions.
 Unwillingness of subordinates to communicate with their superiors, if they
perceive it to adversely affect their interests.
 Lack of proper incentives for communication.

18. What are the various ways of improving communication effectiveness?

Answer:
Some of the measures that organisations can take to improve their communication
effectiveness have been discussed below:

a) Clarify the ideas before communication: The executive should be himself completely
clear about the problem to be communicated to subordinates. He should study and
analyse it in depth and convey it clearly to subordinates.
b) Communicate according to the needs of receiver: The manager should adjust the
communication according to the education and understanding levels of subordinates.
c) Consult others before communicating: Involving subordinates in the development of a
plan for communication before the actual message is conveyed can gain their ready
acceptance and willing cooperation.
d) Be aware of languages, tone and content of message: The message should be
understandable and stimulating for the listeners and should not offend their
sentiments.
e) Convey things of help and value to listeners: By directly or indirectly relating the
message with the needs and interests of the listeners, the expected response can be
evoked.
f) Ensure proper feedback: By asking for feedback from the listeners, the
communication process may be improved.
g) Communicate for present as well as future: The communication should not only aim
at meeting the existing commitments of the enterprise but should also target its future
goals.
h) Follow up communications: By regularly following up and reviewing the instructions
given to subordinates, hurdles, if any, can be removed in implementing the
instructions.
i) Be a good listener: Managers should not only be patient and attentive listeners but
should also give indication of their interest in listening to their subordinates.