Burger King Team Member

Management is way of expressing leadership as it involves solving problems, working towards accomplishing goals and motivating employees at a given organization (Collins,2001). It is a combination of several functions like planning, controlling, leading, organizing and staffing. As a good manager you are actively involved in achieving the organization’s goals and efficiently carrying out the functions of the management.

Good interpersonal and communication skills are needed for an effective management as one is able to express their ideas clearly both in writing and in words. Decision-making is also an important factor in management. Cooperation with other people is needed to demonstrate the ability to work in a proper way and influence others to perform well. Special expertise might be needed to perform particular tasks within the management.

Management Function

Planning

Planning is a vital practice when it comes to management at any organization. It involves identifying specific, achievable and realistic objectives that can be met within a given timeline. At my place of work people are trained in a first aid course which is achievable for everyone. As a manager I determine the resources unavailable to my company and prioritize on what is needed mostly for a smooth run of the organization. For example, I check whether the finance, employees and skills needed are sufficient to meet the objectives of the firm.

Planning allows flexibility as you work towards defined goals. Setting a baseline is part of planning that allows determining your company’s improvement and achievements. It is also a way of measuring your progress in future and identifying limitations involved. This helps in identifying opportunities for more improvement and implementation of the data collected for developing and monitoring systems.  At my work place employees are given the authority needed to get all the tasks done correctly.

Leading

Leading involves generally directing people on how to do things and guiding them (Lencioni). A chief does the right thing and is in charge. Leadership is mostly focused on people and inspiring trust, development and innovation, since the leader has the right team to work for you and have people who not only have the required skills but also fit in for that particular job.

As a chief in my organization I have created an understanding and connection with my employees by showing empathy. This involves listening to them and relating to their emotional feelings and letting them know that I do care. Any suggestions and opinions are open from the employees. This gives them the opportunity to express themselves and as their leader I take the initiative of being a good listener. Find balancing control with freedom needed by your staff to create harmony.

Leadership requires good communication as it creates trust and honesty among your employees. This is achieved by giving people opportunity to talk their mind and ask questions. As a leader you get to learn about their weaknesses, strengths and their style of doing things. You are able to learn more from their feedback and give the right tasks for them. Delegate responsibilities and let your staff take ownership of their job by finding their own way of doing things; identify limiting issues as a keen leader and choose the right approach for a particular situation.

In leadership you are the sole decision-maker in matters of management and those decisions normally reflect your personality as the employer. It is therefore wise to open to other’s opinions and contribution in matters of work in the process of making decisions as a way of developing your organization’s future leaders. Motivate your team effectively without forced authority and avoid common pitfalls. At my place of work, one way of encouraging my employees is by raising their salary and offering breaks from their jobs.

Organizing

As the manager you need to organize your workers according to the plans of the firm. In my company, organizing has been achieved by doing an evaluation of different departments and the staff so as to figure out the best way to accomplish the set goals. A list of tasks for a particular job is made and the most critical tasks that need to be prioritized are identified. Checklists for systems and other processes are also developed to help in evaluation.

Develop a structure for your organization and a chain of command within your company. Designate specific responsibilities and tasks according to your staff specific skills. An effective structure build through good organization will result to increased profitability and create a scope for a new change. This allows room for expansion and growth in all areas. To become a successful employer you need to learn and practice the basics of organizing. It allows room for expansion and growth in all areas.

Organizing provides effective direction to ensure balance and stability in a company. It is also important to make sure that you keep essential elements like motivation, supervision and communication efficient and active. This function ensures that all people work towards achieving organizational goals and getting the desired results. It is a way of providing for optimum utilization of available resources and achieving coordination among departments in your company.

As the manager your responsibility is to provide direction and delegate authority to your employees so as to determine how to distribute the available resources to them. Every staff member of an organization is supposed to be aware of their responsibilities in order to avoid any loss of efficiency at work.

Staffing

Staffing is a function of management that involves selecting, training, evaluating and recruiting of the employees within an organization. It is achieved by hiring the right personnel for the right jobs using proper selection and it encompasses training, promotions, performance and developments. At my work place staffing involves letting the employees know their responsibilities and making sure they are exposed to the environment surrounding them.

An organization needs sufficient and experienced employees for effective results. Staffing is a continuous function and it begins with analyzing a task and interviewing the candidates. Development programs and training are both offered to seasoned staff members and new hires. A job description is offered and induction is done to allow a new member to settle down quickly.

At my place of work, induction is done by showing the new employee the premises and explaining the rules and standards of the conduct in the company. The worker is also familiarized with documents and policies that he/she may be need. As an employer I work with new employees to closely review progress regularly and develop some objectives together.

It is a requirement for the employees to be adequately trained in major areas of work. As an employer my staff is offered training in specific tasks relevant to the roles given to them. A training program includes performance skills for job functions and an overview of the job expectations. This provides understanding of the position offered and how it relates within the organization.

A performance appraisal is done to analyze and record information about the activity of an employee. The job performance is evaluated so as to manage and guide the career development of the employee. A rewarding program is also an important establishment as it offers the opportunity of acknowledging the worker for specific achievements at work. This is the best way to encourage and motivate your staff in doing a better job. To recognize a job well done by an employee I normally send a personal note of appreciation and make a public statement of thanks as well, to cite specific examples to others.

Controlling

This function of management establishes performance standards for the employees and monitors their activity in meeting those standards. It involves monitoring the progress of the company and ensuring that all other management functions are effectively done. In my company control is implemented by observing my staff’s behavior and activities around the work place. Specific standards are set on performance for the activities done at work. Corrective actions are taken to ensure that work is done towards the set goals when any deviations are detected.

The process of controlling addresses problems by creating new standards and focusing on continuous improvement in the organization. It involves of supervision and communication from the employer. The latter should read the records and written reports from the employees be updated. Controlling ensures discipline in all matters of work and allows coordination among all the departments.

As an employer I ensure order by eliminating any undesirable actions such as delay at work and any form corruption. This function of management makes all the employees work with dedication since they know their work is evaluated from time to time. It also ensures that all the organizational resources are effectively utilized as per the plans made earlier. It is a continuous process and a tool for achieving organizational activities.

Thus, planning, leading, organizing, staffing and controlling are the major functions of management that separate all the other business functions such as accounting, marketing and many others. They provide a useful way of classifying information about management and they work together hand in hand towards achieving different organizational goals