Do you know the four key steps of management? They’re essential tasks you need to do daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.
These are planning, organising, executing, and overseeing.
Planning
As a manager, your first job is planning. At each month’s end, for the upcoming month, you need to set your goals. Do you spend enough time planning for the month ahead? What about your team leaders and important staff? They should also be planning monthly.
Do you plan your week every Monday morning? Do you know what you aim to achieve by Friday? Your team should have a similar weekly plan. Effective management starts with knowing your goals and planning to reach them.
Organising
Next, you must organise your plan. Monthly, weekly, and daily tasks need organising to meet your goals.
We remember this with the 5 M’s:
- Manpower: Are the right people doing the right jobs?
- Materials: Do your team have the necessary materials?
- Methods: Is everyone clear about their tasks and how to do them?
- Money: If you handle budgets, are you aware of your spending limits?
- Motivation: Though mainly a leadership role, think about how you’ll guide and support your team.
Executing
The third step is executing the plan. This means daily management. We often say, “manage by walking around.” It’s vital to see your team’s work and give positive or constructive feedback.
Make time for critical projects and tasks. Schedule regular meetings with key people. Including these in your plan ensures you focus on the most important tasks at the best times.
Overseeing
The final step is overseeing or monitoring everyone’s work. Use reports, data, observations, and meetings to check progress towards daily, weekly, and monthly goals.
Much of your time should be spent reviewing and assessing progress. If goals aren’t being met, you’ll need to replan and reorganise to get back on track.
In summary, to be an effective manager, understand these four steps: plan, organise, execute, and oversee. You may need to adjust your plan, reorganise resources, and re-execute as needed.
