The Army uses all four functions of management through a Chain of Command. All leaders throughout the military use at least one function, but multiple leaders working together covers all functions. Always someone is planning, organizing, leading, or controlling. The reason the United States Military is so effective is because leadership and management always try to stay a step ahead. The rank structure provides a guideline to how much a soldier manages. More rank brings more responsibility, more respect, and more use of each function. Though not all functions are needed to be a manager, a good manager does need all four. The Chain of Command is the best example to show leadership, management, and the four functions – plan, organize, lead, and control.
Fantastic Four: The Four Functions of ManagementThere are four functions of management; planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. To be a manager, one doesn’t need to utilize every function, but a good manager will. When a manager puts each function to use, he or she will be more effective. Because the Army is such a large organization, there are many managers responsible for many teams of various sizes. Though it is difficult to maintain all four functions of management, the Army uses each function to maximize efficiency.
One Team, One FightAs an individual becomes a soldier in the United States Army, he or she becomes part of a team, as said best in The Soldier’s Creed. The Creed states “I am a warrior and a member of a team” (Army Study Guide, 2008).
The Research paper on Book Summary – Management Teams
The scientific research that gave birth to the Belbin Team Role theory started in the 70’s when funds were assigned to researchers from Cambridge and College of Henley to study the use of computer in management. The research started from a recurring phenomenon observed at Henley College that some teams performed better than others despite their homogeneity in terms of qualifications and ...
The team has many leaders of different beliefs, values, and ethics. If the leaders have one common goal, to improve the unit, success will be obtained. This is true to units of all sizes, whether a squad of few soldiers or a brigade of thousands. Managers in the Army can be any rank, from Private to General. Higher rank brings an increase in responsibility.
ManagementAccording to Bateman and Snell (2009), management is “the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals.” The Army has a system of management is known as the Chain of Command. A good Chain of Command would at least at some level employ all four functions of management. I would hope so because the top of the Chain of Command is the President of the United States. Looking at a smaller picture though, I would expect my battalion commander to put each function to use in some way.
FunctionsIt is safe to assume that the four functions of management are in a specific order, which is plan, organize, lead, and control. Each of the four functions has a systematical order as well. Logically, planning is the first function to describe. Planning starts with setting the goals desired and continues to deciding the best way to reach those goals (Bateman & Snell, 2009).
The Chain of Command is set up so that the individuals in charge tell subordinates what needs to be accomplished, they interpret the information and send it to his or her subordinates. Doing so is already to the point of the organization function.
Bateman and Snell (2009) say that organizing is putting together the resources necessary to reach the goal set during planning. Organizing includes deciding who should carry out what plan. Planning and organizing closely relate because both functions need consideration of who, what, when, etc. Organization deals more with the result; with this the leader puts out the orders. In other words, organizing occurs when the platoon sergeant tells his or her squad leaders that this soldier needs to do this and that soldier needs to do that. The squad leader the goes to the next function of management, lead.
The Essay on Leaders versus Managers
Leaders Vs Managers: What makes a good leader? What makes a good manager?The business sector in today's society is increasing rapidly, and with this increase comes the need for more people to manage and lead the growing companies, but this growing need also raises some potential questions: Can anyone become a leader or a manager? Is there a difference between the two? Can people be trained to ...
Leading is doing what it takes to arrive at a successful result. A leader will do whatever it takes to meet the goal. He or she is responsible for making sure the orders are carried out by ensuring sufficient time, personnel, and other resources are available. The first-line supervisor of soldiers – the squad leader – needs to motivate, communicate daily, guide, and inspire to have the soldiers perform at their best (Bateman & Snell, 2009).
Like soldiers, leaders also go by a creed. The Army Study Guide (2008) says that a leader “will communicate consistently with soldiers and never leave them uninformed” (NCO Creed, para. 2).
If communication doesn’t go in both directions though, improvements will not be made.
The final function, which is control, is seeing the plans be carried out, making sure resources are used correctly, and adjusting what needs so to meet the goal (Bateman & Snell, 2009).
A manager needs to adapt. If an individual cannot make it over a wall, the manager has to find a way around. If a soldier is giving a substandard performance, his leader should be there to motivate or improve the soldier. The Chain of Command should be aware of the situations, whether good or bad, improving or declining, pass or fail. Similar to what the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer states, a good manager will know the duties and responsibilities of seniors, peers, and subordinates (Army Study Guide, 2008).
Most managers have skill in one or two functions, but increased ability in all four functions makes managers better. Again in reference to Bateman and Snell (2009), the four functions should be applied to each person so that productivity and value will increase. Leaders will not only apply the functions to himself, but also to his subordinates. A good leader will plan, organize, lead, and control; the best leaders will have others follow the example.
Conclusion
The Army is a good example of management and how the four functions of management apply to daily life. Whether it is one manager or a few managers, all four functions are covered. Success is obtained through the guidance of the Chain of Command. All angles are looked at while planning, and a good plan is brought forth. What better way to execute a plan than to have soldiers of the United States Army doing everything possible to follow through. Soldiers have the dedication to follow the orders and maximize efforts with the resources available. Soldiers have learned through extensive training to synchronize, execute, and learn from any mistakes. The managers are proven to be effective and efficient.
The Essay on The Army as a Profession of Arms
As the Army transitions from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the organization is well served to take a long look in the mirror. After ten plus years of deployments, our combat tested warriors are sure to possess more than enough valuable knowledge to reinforce and improve upon our status as a profession. A Tracdoc published paper explains “to be a professional is to understand, embrace, ...
References
Army Study Guide. (2008).
NCO Creed. Retrieved from http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/nco_history/nco-creed-3.shtmlArmy Study Guide. (2008).
The Soldier’s Creed. Retrieved from http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/Prep_For_Basic_Training/Prep_for_basic_general_information/the-soldiers-creed.shtmlBateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2009).
Management: Leading and Collaborating in the Competitive World (8th
