MANAGERIAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN AN

ENTERPRISE
Duties and functions of management
An entrepreneur in an enterprise has to perform certain management function
properly and objectively in order to steer that enterprise to prosperity. Before
looking at the key management functions, it is important to understand what
management means.
What Then Is Management?
In very simple terms, Management means, “to be in –charge” of drawing up and
implementing programs that achieve success continuously.
Every entrepreneur who ventures into business has certain functions which he or
she must perform orderly and correctly in order for business to run smoothly and
profitably. These functions are called Management function.

Some Critical Management functions include:

a. Planning
b. Organizing
c. Motivating
d. Direction
e. Controlling
f. Coordinating

Planning
The most important function of a Manager is PLANNING.
This is not to say the other functions are not important. They are equally important
but planning becomes very critical because it is the starting point for the
manager whether in a micro, small, medium or large enterprise. For large
enterprises, their financial capacity allows them to employ specialized Managers
in various fields such as Human Resources, Finance, Production and Operations,
etc.But for Micro Small Enterprises the Management in most cases is in the hands
of the owner who must perform all key functions alone. This makes planning a very
critical ingredient in the success of an enterprise.

What then is planning?

In very simple terms, planning maybe defined using the famous 5 Ws and 1H.
Planning is therefore the process of deciding WHAT should be done; WHEN it
should be done; WHERE it should be done; WHY it should done; WHO should do it
and HOW it should be done. Going by the above 5Ws and 1H planning involves
looking critically at the following:-

WHAT – the list of required activities

WHEN – the time frame for each activity
WHERE – the strategic location for each activity
 WHY – the rationale or reason for each activity
BY WHOM – division of labour or responsibilities based on the right skills,
experience and qualification for the right job
HOW - the metrology to be used for each activity

But why should an entrepreneur plan?

In order to define clearly a path to follow in his business operations, knowing
very Well that there are several options.
In order to allocate his scarce resources effectively and efficiently so that
the Returns (profits) are maximized.
.

In order for him to put in place contingency factors for the uncertainties in
future In order for him to explore all possible alternatives available to him
and pick the Best
In order for him to understand the environment in which he is going to
operate from, so that he is ware of his obligations, any threats and
opportunities.

Organizing
It is generally accepted that planning is the most complicated and
involving
functions of a manager. After planning, the rest of the functions become
Rather routine and straightforward.
After planning, the manager is now required to organize all recourses for
proper
Implementation of the plan.
Organizing is simply charting out an organizational structure or
arrangement which
Stipulates who will do what, when, how, where and why.
Here is an example of a simple organizational structure for small scale
farm:-

MARKETING
OFFICER FARM SUPERVISOR PROCUREMENT OFFICER FARM
WORKERS
SECURITY
GUARDS

A close look at the above chart shows you that when there is some form of
organization in a business, it is easy to trace a mistake and/or anomaly because
everybody knows what is expected of them, where, how when and why and who
to report to. When there is no organized way of doing things, manager may not
know for instance, where the problem is, who caused it, how it was caused and
when it was caused. But where the manager performs the functions of organizing,
there is always a co-coordinated way of doing things in such away that a
common goal is achieved, which in business involves effective, efficient and
profitable operations.

Motivation

Another function of a good manager is that of providing motivation in the work

environment. Every manager must be inspiring in nature, learning to give rewards,
praise and encouragement to deserving workers within the business. Assuming
that workers are performing their respective roles very well, a good environment
demands that a manager must motivate these workers in order to continue
getting even more of the desired results.
Motivation can come in many forms and varies from one manager to another. It is
up to each manager to determine the best method of motivating the workers.

Where employees are putting in their best but management is not creating a
highly motivation environment, the following may result:-
Increase cases of theft and pilferage
Low morale and lack of interest among workers
Low productivity and poor quality products/services resulting in poor sales and
low or no profits

Possibilities of sabotage of assets by the employees/workers

Frustrations among workers which may lead to poor customer service and care
Increase labour turnover (high rate of resignations)

Directing (coaching)

In Directing, the role of a manager is to ensure that he is always alert and

following closely all the activities going on in the business operation in order to
give the enterprise some guidance, direction and focus based on the original
intended objectives and goals.In Directing, the manager is providing the required
leadership and sense of goal-achieving responsibility.
Directing entails constant check and monitoring of all functional departments
within the enterprises, to ensure conformity with plans.

Coordinating

Just like in Directing above, the manager has to coordinate the different functions
of his enterprise s different departments to ensure that all departments are bent
on achieving a common goal .It is the function of a manager in a restaurant for
example, to ensure that the one who buys supplies has bought the right type and
those who prepare the meals may require right quantities of supplies as. And
those who meals must have them ready in the right quality and quantity, at the
right time as may be required by those serving customers.

Controlling

Another critical and important function of a manager is to control all the activities
within the enterprise to insure that mistakes are corrected and any devaluation
from the original plan is checked. In control, the manager insures that the
enterprise is always flowing the path originally made and reviewing progress to
incorporate new ideas and discard outdated ideas, if any. All these aspects that
have been discussing in this presentation may be best summarized in what is
referred to as a business plan.

Leadership skills

What is leadership?

Leadership could be define as the ability to inspire others to seek clearly

articulated goals and objectives enthusiastically.

Types of Leadership

The most common leadership styles are the following:

Autocratic style:
This type of leadership installs high task and low relationship behavior
characterized by one-way communication in which the leader defines the roles
of the subordinates. The leader makes the decisions and imposes them on his
subordinates by them what, how, when and where to do the various tasks. Power
centralized in one person all issues out orders and directives.

Democratic style:
This involves high relationship and low task behavior as the decision making
process is participatory and shared between leader and the subordinates
through two-way communication and more facilitating behavior from the leader.
The leader uses subordinates ideas and opinions constructively. Criticism and
praise are given constructively. When a leader is forced to make a decision alone
depending on the situation, he explains to the group.
Laissez-faire:
This entails low relationship and low task behavior as the decision making process
is characterized by delegating so as to let the subordinates “run their show”. The
leader delegates as the subordinates are high in readiness, being both willing and
able to take responsibility for directing their own behavior.