Henry Fayol believed in division of work to ensure that specific persons handle specific jobs. Job specialization, according to Fayol, was a clear way of not only increasing volume of outputs, but also producing quality products. Organizations that apply division of labor in their operations pay special focus on the specific portion of the task. Under authority, Fayol believed that an organization that has a center of control from which employees receive commands, is highly likely to succeed in achieving its goals and objectives.
This presents a unity of command from a specified direction. In such a scenario, wielding authority comes with accountability and full responsibility for all tasks in a firm (Henri Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management par. 2). Besides, discipline in organizations ought to be applied cautiously and lawfully to prevent destruction of employees’ attention from work. In addition, successful organizations have to define a common objective to enable all stakeholders to work towards the specified direction.
For continuity in business, the management has to make an organization’s interests supersede the interests of an individual. In providing remuneration to employees, the management has to take into concern the overall success of the firm, cost of living, as well as supply of experienced personnel. Fayol also proposed that a manager could decide whether to adopt centralization or decentralization management system depending on the nature of an organization.
However, he added that centralization lowers the significance of the subordinates’ roles, while decentralization increases their significance within an organization. To enhance orderliness within an organization, in terms of coordination and efficiency, Fayol recommended that all strategic and non-strategic resources have to be treated with same level of urgency (Henri Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management par. 6). In order to enhance equity among workers, managers have to treat them equally.
An attempt to contradict the principle will automatically lead to rebellion and low work-output. Another principle of management holds that managers should make it their priority to hire and retain highly skilled employees to ensure sustainable development and progress in future. Fayol hypothesizes that retaining such employees is a clear way of enhancing workforce productivity, as they work on their areas of specialization.
Therefore, managers should have an already available recruitment and selection funds to continue building a strong team. It is the duty of the management to reinforce employees’ behaviors; motivation instills in employees the urge to achieve both the organizational and personal goals. Managers must make it their role to keep the workers active in order to deliver on their expectations.
Management systems that take this initiative give employees a clear direction on the way forward. It becomes easy for such organizations to achieve their strategic business goals and objectives. Fayol summed up that a successful organization must have a management that encourages peaceful co-existence and good feeling among its workers (Crainer 77).
From the descriptions of Fayol’s 14 management principles, it is evident that he desired an organization with an orderly and focused management, which gives employees and other stakeholders a clear direction.
Stauffacher, on his part, believed that employees develop purpose for their responsibilities if the organization’s leadership gives clear descriptions of the desired destinations and expectations of employees. According to Stauffacher, workers follow leaders who respect them, engage in ethical deals and practices, and outline a clear sense of direction for the firm (Sidious par. 2). Three key leadership provisions are purpose, direction, and motivation.
Under purpose, an effective leader explains to employees the reason for engaging in such ventures. When employees comprehend the significance and reasons of doing something, they become dedicated to achieve the objectives. A leader has to come up with the vision of an organization in deep consultation with all stakeholders of the organization. Markedly, involving employees and other stakeholders in designing the company’s vision motivates the stakeholders, as they feel as part of the organization.
They feel valued by the management team, as their contributions are included in the company operations (Sidious par. 3). Stauffacher adds that engaging employees in coming up with the firm’s vision does not only binds them, but also instill confidence and trust among the stakeholders. Managers, therefore, have to assist employees to comprehend the firm’s overall corporate and business stratagems.
The second aspect is direction. Leaders have to guide employees to prioritize their goals for the organization. In this line, an effective leader act by example in setting priorities and standards so that the subordinates can follow suit. Giving directions on what an organization has to achieve remains the duty of the management. According to Sidious, proper leadership helps employees to comprehend how they help in meeting an organization’s objectives (par. 5). Leaders also have to provide complete motivation to workers.
Motivation comes in two distinct categories – intrinsic and extrinsic. When an organization recognizes the contributions of its employees, the employees feel appreciated, cared for and needed by the organization. Apart from caring, motivation of employees develops a strong cohesion between employees and the management. The resilient link that emanates from the organization further strengthens the firm’s focus to achieve a common goal.
Motivation makes all stakeholders responsible and accountable for their actions in the organization (Crainer 83). In case an employee fails to adhere to the stipulated company policies, it is the role of the leaders to apply an understandable punishment to alter such behaviors. Rewards and punishment, if well administered on employees, can make the staffs surpass their organizational goals.
Leaders should not apply rewards and punishment selectively since such moves could result in organization’s failure. Proper performance appraisal techniques and methods should be used to avoid instances of favoritism in allocation of rewards.
According to Stauffacher, a leader who knows himself/herself and seeks improvement, as well as proficient in his/her line of duty has high chances of being successful in achieving an organization’s objectives. Leaders should not only accept responsibilities, but should also go steps ahead to seek such responsibilities. This shows a kind of leadership that is determined to venture in new areas in pursuit of success and sustainable development (Sidious par. 11).
With such readiness to venture in new zones, a leader must make timely and sound decisions. A leader must also know the welfare of his/her employees in order to build a strong team, which cares for each other. In the management process, leaders have to update their subordinates on recent developments on a frequent basis.
Employees who are informed on changes within an organization have minimal chances of refuting or thwarting such alterations; subordinates work with full knowledge of any impeding change, thus enhancing work delivery (Sidious par. 13). Just like in Fayol’s principle, Stauffacher held that managers have to ensure that their followers comprehend their tasks fully; they should supervise tasks’ progress to their completion stages.
Moreover, leaders have to set targets that are consistent with the capabilities of the firm. Overrating an organization’s projections beyond its capabilities can be a demoralizing factor to employees (Sidious par. 14), as they strain to meet the impossible targets.
In my real life experience, Fayol’s principle of order was present in the management style of Steve Jobs at the Apple Company and Bill Gates at the Microsoft Company. The two companies command large customer loyalty due to the effective leadership that the management offers. Even though Steve Jobs allowed decentralization at the company to allow innovations, he ensured that a centralized management system remained in place (Leadership Styles of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs par. 4).
This was to make it possible for the firm to develop inclusive applications under the instructions of the management. At the same time, Stauffacher’s team building is evident at the Microsoft Company; Bill Gates involves all stakeholders in decision-making to enable the firm achieve the objective from a unified and common dimension (Leadership Styles of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs par. 8).
From my personal experience, Fayol’s management principles and Stauffacher’s leadership and principles have been evident at my workplace – the banking industry. As an IT specialist, the bank management posted me at the IT department in order to ensure the security of the institution’s systems.
Clearly, issues to deal with customer relations and teller services do not require the services of an IT specialist, but require services of a human resource expert. Specialization improved the overall performance of workers at the financial institution. Additionally, the bank management system kept updating all departments of changes that were yet to occur; this improved the bond between employees and the executive team. The situation increased customers’ satisfaction.
Works Cited
Crainer, Stuart. The ultimate business library: the greatest books that made management. Oxford: Capstone, 2003. Print.
Henri Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management. 2008. Web.
Leadership Styles of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. 2012. Web.
Sidious, Darth. Ten Principles of Leadership. 2008. Web.