Objectives are first needed at lower levels of management.
Supervisors normally do not establish policies, even within their own departments.
Objectives should be as vague as possible.
As part of the planning process, future contingencies must be considered.
Supervisors are involved with short-term planning that usually spans a timeframe of one day to six months.
Single-use plans are developed to accomplish a particular purpose and are then discarded.
Many managers neglect planning to focus on present work problems.
Many of the short-term crises that managers face could be eased by proper planning.
The mission of the organization defines the fundamental purpose the organization attempts to serve.
Top-level managers plan for a longer time frame than supervisory-level managers do.
In a hierarchy of objectives, middle and supervisory managers establish goals that reflect the goals of the higher management levels.
Because planning and organizing are so closely related, these two functions are called the "Siamese twins" of management.
Once objectives have been set, it is necessary for supervisors to follow-up by having progress discussions with employees.
In order to preserve managerial authority, supervisors should not involve subordinates in setting objectives.
A policy is a guide to decision making.
Contingency planning means doing what you have to as problems arise.
Objectives that are set too low do not provide a challenge.
The first step in the planning process involves organizing and leading.
The activity planned for by top managers is narrower in scope than that planned for at the supervisory level.
A program is a single use plan.
Objectives cannot be measured.
Planning involves selecting past courses of action.
A Gantt chart is a scheduling technique that shows how various activities involved in the job depend on each other.
Standing plans are also known as repeat use plans.
A rule is stronger than a policy.
As a supervisor, Mark is developing the first step in the planning process for his department. Mark is probably working on the objectives he wants to achieve within his group.
Unified planning means that all departments should help decide what the plans of the overall organization should be.
Of the various managerial functions, planning is probably most closely related to controlling.
Scenario planning has a short-term focus and is typically associated with planning at the supervisory level.
Since planning is primarily an intellectual activity, it involves the use of one's human relations skills.
A budget is considered to be a type of standing plan.
Objectives stimulate motivation.
Policies established by upper-level managers should be put in writing.
The critical path is the series of scheduled activities that require the shortest period of time.