Business Management/Leadership and Strategy

P.O.L.C.: Planning

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Planning

Planning is the first function and the most crucial role of a manager. It is during this stage that managers evaluate the current conditions within the organization and the environment, and propose objectives on how the business can best perform under those circumstances. During this stage, managers identify conditions in both the internal and external environment, contemplate the desired objective of the organization, and create pathways that will allow the organization to accomplish those objectives.

The planning function allows managers to answer the five W’s for an organization – who, what, when, where, and why, as well as the how. Who will be affected by the objectives of the organizations? What responsibilities must everyone in the organization fulfill to accomplish these objectives? Where would be the best location for an organization to successfully achieve its objectives? When would be the ideal time for the organization to take action? Why should the organization execute these objectives, and how does it do so? By answering these questions, managers perform the planning function. They examine their environment,  forecast future conditions, gather information, consider alternatives for attaining their objectives, and choose the best course of action from those alternatives. Because of the importance of this stage, managers are required to be good, reliable decision-makers for the organization.

 

There are three types of planning a manager can undertake:

Strategic Planning

The goal of strategic planning is to determine the long-term objectives of an organization. In this planning process, managers first identify the mission and vision of the organization. What is the purpose of the company? What does it want to achieve? And why are they driven to do what they do? To do this, managers conduct a SWOT analysis of the company and determine the best course of action to give the organization a competitive edge in the market. Typically, with strategic planning, the aim is to reach organizational goals and objectives in three to five years down the line.

Tactical Planning

Tactical planning involves breaking down a strategic plan into smaller, more manageable actions and plans that can be achieved within one to three years. During this stage, managers gather the means needed to implement the strategic plan. Tactical plans usually provide information such as who is in charge of each part of the implementation process, and the organizational do’s and don’ts for each role. Middle-level managers typically have a better understanding of the day-to-day operations, and will often engage in tactical planning.

Operational Planning

Operational planning guides the day-to-day operations of an organization. These plans outline the specific results that are expected from individuals, departments, and strategic business units across the organization. Well-established operational plans are precise, measurable, and time-bound. They list what actions must be taken for the organization to advance towards achieving strategic and tactical goals. Operational plans can either be designed for a single purpose (such as increasing sales, gaining subscribers, or meeting a productivity target) or for ongoing reasons (such as issuing as policies and procedures).

Planning is an important function to an organization because it guides managers through the other functions within the framework, favorably positions organizations within the market, and improves the chances of an organization’s success through goal-setting and implementation (Hill, 2018).

 

Methods of Communication in an Organization: Overview

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Overview

Stakeholder relationships thrive or fail based largely upon the quality of communication, no matter the type of organization. Because organizations are interdependent systems, a conversation between two people could have a far-reaching impact across an entire organization. The nature of communication in the organization is also a major determinant of management and employee satisfaction (Richmond, McCroskey & McCroskey, 2005).

Managers perform various roles that require effective communication, including negotiator, spokesperson, disseminator, and liaison (Mintzberg, 1973). Managers must be able to communicate well with employees. Effective communication between management and employees establishes clear expectations, builds trust, and boosts employee morale which results in increased confidence in the company (Richmond, et al, 2005). On average, managers spend 80% of their time communicating with others.

In today’s business environment, organizations have access to several communication methods which can be used both internally and externally. Communication within organizations takes different forms: face-to-face, discussion, letters, emails, etc. Generally, communication can be grouped into verbal, written and nonverbal methods of communication.

The P.O.L.C. Framework Introduction

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Employees who perform different types of functions within an organization are classified in different ways. A typical company will have regular employees or manual laborers, as well as management. The management of a company is divided into three levels: supervisory, mid-level, and top-level; with each level playing a different role in the organization. However, according to a framework first developed by French management theorist Henri Fayol in 1916, the role of each manager can fit into four highly integrated functions. Those functions make up the P-O-L-C framework: Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling.

Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling takes place at every level of management. There is a high amount of overlap in these four functions, which is one of the criticisms against this framework. Furthermore, these four functions do not accurately represent the real day-to-day work of managers. In looking at them, one could not determine what the actual roles of a manager were (Mintzberg, 1973; Lamond, 2004). However, even with its limitations, this remains one of the most popular frameworks in management for two reasons. First, management has changed little over the years. The main differences that have been seen over time are the introduction of technology and the decreased formality between managers and employees. Secondly, the framework remains a useful method in classifying the activities that managers employ in striving to achieve organizational goals (Lamond, 2004).

Next, we will take a brief look at the components of the P-O-L-C framework and its importance in modern-day management.