The traditional management functions are the general activities managers regularly perform in their roles. These activities are referred to as the management process. They help managers achieve their objectives and the general business goals.
1. Planning
Planning is the first traditional management function. It involves setting objectives and goals as well as taking actions to achieve them. The objectives and goals are annual and at least three years.
Planning is futuristic. Therefore, managers must forecast future trends that may present opportunities and threats, and select a course of action to achieve the stated goals. In planning, decisions must be made. This is why decision-making cannot be separated from other traditional functions. It goes along with planning.
2. Organising
Organising is achieved by designing the entity's activities based on its available resources and structuring them with the intention of achieving organisational objectives. It means that the management’s task is to group business activities and assign resources in a cost-efficient manner to achieve daily tasks.
Roles are set out by managers for each employee. They combine them with other resources in an internal structure. This structure is known as an organisational chart. The purpose of organising is to ensure that the resources are utilised.
3. Staffing
Humans are an integral part of businesses. Despite the invention of Artificial Intelligence, businesses require people to manage certain roles and responsibilities. Managers achieve this through staffing.
Here, the total workforce requirement is estimated. The management team will decide when to recruit more people to handle certain roles. Also, current jobholders are promoted and kept motivated so as to remain in their jobs.
The difficult part of staffing is selecting the right candidate for the job. Choosing the wrong person might affect the organisation's objectives.
4. Leading
Though humans are the most important resource in a company, it is important to direct them into attainment of goals and objectives. This is done through leadership. Humans are sociable, so it is difficult to predict their behaviour unlike machines, money and information.
Leading involves directing the Human resources effectively. It includes influencing, motivating, and communicating plans and directions to employees in order to achieve the overall mission of the entity.
5. Controlling
This traditional management function entails measurements of periodic performance against the planned. Therefore, it helps managers know if their planned goals and objectives can be realised. If not, take corrective steps to attain it.
To conclude, the five functions are done in a process. That is, one must occur before the other. To illustrate, staffing cannot come before planning. This is why the functions are referred to as management as a process.