Running Hhead: FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT The Four Functions of Management Charla Nelson-James Lynn University Lisa Miller 10/27/2015 MBA600A FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT Four Functions of Management Ever since the dawn of mankind, the world has seen leaders and rulers at the top of every group of people no matter how small. Nowadays we have businesses, which vary from start-ups with 3 three employees to international companies, who which have thousands of workers worldwide. Regardless of the scale each company has leaders and managers, the bigger the company, the more managerial positions it presumes. Management is a very broad subject, which includes a lot of crucial information pertaining to effective use of one's managerial skills. Often people overlook even basic principles of management, especially in smaller companies, which have been founded by people, who have no managerial skills whatsoever. The reason those people are not interesting in developing themselves as a manager is a the the thought that they are the boss already and the usual \"how hard can it be?\" thinking. However, what people, generally, neglect is the fact, that managing a workload, managing a specific task or machinery is a whole lot different than managing people. A good manager is first of all a leader and in order to be seen as a leader and not a boss, a person must be passionate and motivated about the job, as well as taking upon the course of constant self-development, which should always include developing oneself as a manager. There are four key components to successful management: planning, organizing, leading, controlling. I consider each one of them crucial to the end goal, however, each one should be executed to a certain degree. No doubt that planning is one of the most important skills not only in management, but in life. A good plan is half of the success and being able to draft a good, achievable, realistic and overall SMART plan is a sign of a good manager. Organizing is the next key FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT component on the path of successful completion of the developed plans. Organizing like planning cannot be omitted, however, managers can allow more liberty to their subordinates in terms of completing the set tasks, given that the manager knows and understands each member's capabilities. Third up on the list is leading, a very important part of success. Leading sometimes is underrated and easily turned into pushing and bossing around. There is a huge difference between being a boss and giving out orders and having people do things, compared to being a leader and having people follow you with passion and motivation. And the last, but not the least is controlling. Controlling someone's work can, unfortunately in some cases, be empowering for the manager and demeaning for the employee. Different people deal with supervision in their own way, some need close monitoring of their work and constant feedback regarding their progress, others though would prefer to do things on their own and not to be bothered. A good manager must understand the difference and more importantly understand which employee needs one approach and which one needs the other. Pursuing an MBA, first of all, means taking another step forward, in terms of self-development and growth. Becoming a good, skilled and smart manager is one of the key components to success in the world of business, thus, I consider an MBA program to be a perfect start. As of now, I feel confident in my skills and I understand the significance of all of them put to action, therefore, some practice and real life situations will be of great help in mastering this trait. Please add a conclusion on future assignments. FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT References Carpenter, M., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2010). Principles of management 1.1. Irvington, NY: Flat World Knowledge. Schraeder, M., R. Self, D., H. Jorda, M., & Portis, R. (2014). The Functions of Management as Mechanisms for Fostering Interpersonal Trust. A DVANCES IN B USINESS R ESEARCH, 5, 50-62. Retrieved from http://journals.sfu.ca/abr/index.php/abr/article/viewFile/71/91 Week 2 Assignment Rubric Content Points Points Available Earned 4 OPTION 1: Discuss the four functions of management. Within the four functions, reflect on your own current skills and how your decision to pursue an MBA will enhance or refine your current skills relative to the four functions of management. Include 1 scholarly reference and 1 reference from the textbook. Format your paper consistent with APA 6th Edition guidelines Additional Comments: X/4 Good work discussing the 4 functions of management. You gave many good examples. Good use of citations. 4 OPTION 2: Create a video that covers the content listed above. Include 1 scholarly reference and 1 reference from the textbook. Organization / Development Points Points Additional Comments: Available Earned 3 X/3 FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT OPTION 1: The paper is limited to 5001000 words. Paragraph transitions are present, logical, and maintain the flow throughout the paper. 2.5 The paper had a good flow to it. Next time use level 1 headings. Be sure that all paragraphs are left aligned instead of centered and see my notes about the required length of each paragraph. OPTION 2: Video should be 10-20 minutes. Mechanics Points Points Additional Comments: Available Earned 3 X/3 Formatting or layout and graphics are pleasing to the eye (font, colors, spacing). Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed, and spelling is correct. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. Sentences are well constructed, strong, and varied. 2 Total Total Available Earned Late Assignment -2 10 6.5 a few formatting, grammar and APA issues. Be sure to spell check before submitting future assignments