What are examples of the four functions of management?

Examples of the four functions of management include planning checkpoints into a project schedule to help your team hit the end deadline, assigning tasks to team members in accordance with their skills, leading by example by assigning yourself a task and completing it well, and readjusting the team's workload as needed throughout the project.

Incorporating checkpoints or mini-deadlines into a project to help ensure your team is going to hit their end goal on time is an example of the planning function of management. By slicing up the timeline into smaller, more manageable chunks, your team will (hopefully) be less likely to procrastinate, and you'll be able to review their work and make adjustments along the way.

In setting up these deadlines, you'll be identifying challenges that your team may run into along the way and creating solutions to overcome, avoid, or minimize them. You'll also be reevaluating the project's performance as it moves along and ensuring it's as efficient as possible, all of which are important steps in the planning function of management.

Organizing is the second function of management, and a large part of this is assigning tasks to your team members according to their abilities. This requires knowing what needs to be done to finish a project and understanding what each of your team members brings to the table as far as strengths, weaknesses, available time, and the assumed time it will take to complete.

The third function of management is leadership, and one of the most powerful forms of this is leading by example. Don't just assign a bunch of tasks and then go hide in your office until the project's done. Show your team that you're invested in the project by taking on some tasks yourself.

That doesn't mean micromanaging or taking over someone else's job, but you can take on appropriate tasks such as ensuring your team has all the resources they need when they need them, setting up clear communication channels so no one is confused or frustrated, and providing support with anything else you can, even if that's buying everyone lunch during crunch time.

Finally, being willing to readjust the workload as the project progresses is an example of the controlling function of management. You can't just set a project in motion and walk away: You need to keep tabs on it and make adjustments as it progresses. This often means reassigning tasks as some turn out to be more time-consuming, challenging, or unproductive than expected.