To plan, to organize, to direct, to control.

Plan, organize, direct and control (PODC). Four words wich are always mentioned when the matter is administration. But why?

The origin of this sequence leads to the classic Jules Henri Fayol, a french engineer who developed the first complete theoretical model for business administration. In 1916 he published the book "Administration Industrielle et Générale." Normally, his name appears next to Frederick Taylor's, a north american engineer, who systematized the work organization.

Fayol proposed a slightly larger sequence: predicting, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Predict appears as to plan, lead and coordinate, as to direct (same as to lead).

What the administrator needs to look closely at is the role he or she has to play when thinking those four words and their relative importance.

Planning is very important because it gives the north, the path. - Where are we going? - At what speed? - Why do we do? - How long we will do? - When we will review to determine if the process goes well or need to change course? The planning should not be mixed up with preparing methods of control, a very common mistake, as noted Henry Mintzberg. Mintzberg defines planning as "a formal procedure to produce an articulated result, in the form of an integrated system of decisions" and drives our attention to not produce "a planning process, designed by planners to plan to produce plans" :).

Organizing is to say who will do what in what order. To form teams, allocate budgets, establish priorities. Say what we will do not is important too. Make it clear to everyone what each one does, how long have we go for this, how the controls will work, what rewards are on the horizon. Organize is to transform planning in action. If we do not organize, we are only in good intentions. And hell is full of good intentions.

Control is to monitor what has been organized to see if it looks like what was planned. Allows you to control the resources, people and money to relocate, change the course during the process, charge speed or look for better quality. Lives here a great tool control to managing: self-criticism. What I planned and organized is going well?

Last but not least (by contrast) is directing. This is the day to day manager. Talk to the team, motivate them, know them, hear their anguish, be present, be attentive listener, look in the eyes, pay attention. The boss as one more in the team. This is the most important job of a manager and if he is good as director of his team may not even be as good in the other three functions.

Notice that to plan and to organize, once made, are not totally redone. These works are important, but in first days. Demand something like a month in a half-year. Control, today, is greatly facilitated by the presence of technologies and also should not take much managing time. The great effort of a modern manager is the day to day with his employees, that's the most important role and should take up most of his time. A motivated team will help him in the other three roles. This paper, to direct, is the sole responsibility of the manager and the source of his or her loneliness, because it can't be delegated.

i like administration a lot