← All concepts · Chapter 1 guide
The Five Functions of Management
Every manager plans (decides where to go), organizes (arranges the work), staffs (finds and develops the people), leads (gets people moving), and controls (checks results and corrects course). They are a loop, not a checklist: good managers do all five at once.
A shift supervisor at a coffee shop sets a goal to cut wait times (plan), moves the strongest barista to the bar during the rush (organize), trains a new hire on the register (staff), keeps the crew calm when the line hits the door (lead), and checks the timer data at close (control).
Which of the five am I neglecting right now?
Treating management as only leading. A charismatic manager with no plan and no control gets a motivated team running in the wrong direction.
Pick one recurring problem at work. Name which function broke down: was there no plan, the wrong structure, the wrong person, weak leadership, or no feedback loop?
Your team keeps missing deadlines, but everyone is working hard and morale is fine. Which function is most likely the weak link?
Show the answer
Probably planning or controlling. Effort and morale (leading) look fine, so check whether goals and timelines were realistic and whether anyone is tracking progress early enough to correct it.