“If you can’t measure an activity, you can’t control it, and if you can’t control an activity, you can’t manage it.”

To manage is never easy. Management requires cooperation, proper communication and motivation. To host an activity, preparation is a step by step procedure. We need to be able to cast the goal of the activity, set the objectives, analyze the people involve and foresee the results. Management – from activity to people, from business to organization is indeed a tough job.

Upon planning, a person needs to provide the goal for the activity. It is necessary because goals are the targets. These are final missions that should be achieved¹. Mission are to be set before planning and implementing the activity. Knowing the fact that ‘organizers’, as what I call them, expects success on each and every activity they prepared, goals provide general purpose and direction.² These directions will show how measurable an activity is; an aim to pursue. These include the reason, the grounds, the areas and the determinants of the activity.

Given the general nature of the activity, we need to set objectives as guides. Objectives are skeletons of the activity. These are specific, measurable and time-based.³ Objectives state what is to be achieved and cover the range of desired outcomes to achieve a goal⁴. The objective provides the narrow focus for the activity. These are actions, as such, to measure, to analyze, to determine, to test, etc.⁵

In managing, it is not exclusively focused to the activity itself. One has to see, analyze and understand the nature and the behavior of the people as well. Human behavior varies from place to place and from time to time. The success of the activity relies in the cooperation of the people concerned. Organizers need to know what those people want and what those people preferably likes. Authoritarian is not always applicable especially if the people under the management knows what they want, what they like and what are expected from them as well as what they’re expecting from it.

Thus, making up goals and setting up objectives will strengthen the activity. Getting acquainted to the people involved will be good points for the success as well. Activities are easier to plan and to project but reading and understanding the behavior of the people involved is way more important.

To be a good manager or an organizer, one has to set goals for concrete focus and target. Goals are to be supported by the objectives to keep the activity on track. However, more than just the goals and objectives, winning the hearts of the people will make the activity more successful. Goals and objectives will measure the activity, and acknowledging the views of the concerned people will take you in control.

Personally, the quote tells me that in everything I plan to do, the realization will be successful, if and only if, I know what I want, I know what things to do, I have a clear picture of it, and that I’m capable of doing it. If I can set and plan correctly, seeing both the cons and pros, thus, none can pressure me and dictate me because I’m in total control of everything that I planned to do. If I can measure myself, I can manage myself and if I can manage myself, then I can control myself.

It is then recommended that a person, who plans to do and organize something, has to be familiar with what he/she is planning, what are necessary, who’s involved, have precautions, capable of the job, willing and motivated to do the work.

Labels: control, management, summary, views

posted by Yesha Gee at Friday, August 24, 2007-