Techniques of Effective Co-ordination
Managers have to develop certain special skills to achieve effective co-ordination.
- The manager can achieve the co-ordination by issuing orders and instructions to his subordinates, by defining the authority of his subordinates, their functions and timing in a proper and crystal clear manner. The above technique of ‘chain of command’ has certain limitations then that can be overcome by dynamic leadership styles.
- Committee is a body of persons entrusted with a responsibility to discharge a particular function as a group. It is more effective in horizontal co-ordination. Committee may facilitate group closeness by opening free communication channel to have exchange of ideas, problems, proposals and solutions; which will lead to collective decisions and improved understanding of organisational goals. This all will ultimately lead to better co-ordination.
- Although, staff meetings are the regular feature of every organisation but conducting them effectively, regularly and in an organised way will certainly bring better co-ordination because of the following reasons will bring a sense of belongingness among the members of the organisation-everyone will feel well informed and important. Subordinates will learn about new problems and their solutions.
- New and innovative ideas may be generated, if the solutions are being asked from even the subordinates—subordinates will be able to ask certain questions related to the problem they face while working-an open forum for discussion will help out in letting the pent up emotions out and the flow of positive energies will be facilitated.
- Special co-ordinators may be appointed in case of large organisations to collect the relevant information and send this to various heads of departments or sections so that inter departmental work and relationship is coordinated.
- The functioning of every department can also be modified in such a way that each department is automatically co-ordinated with other departments and provide them with the kind of information they are in need of. It is known as self co-ordination and can be achieved by having good horizontal communication.
Essentials for Effective Co-ordination
(i) Clarity in organisational structure and job responsibilities
If authority and responsibility of each unit and individual are not well defined and are not being stated clearly time to time, then the problem of lack of co-ordination emerges. Therefore, authority and responsibility of various teams should be prescribed clearly from time to time.
(ii) Clarity in work-procedures
If substantive part is clear, then only procedural part will be clear. Well defined work procedures will facilitate procedural coordination, followed strictly.
(iii) Proper communication system
An effective communication system ensures adequate, clear and timely information at various points in the organization. The main purpose of communication is to inform, command, instruct, persuade, motivate, stimulate, prompt, influence, persuade and integrate. If all these functions are performed properly then not only effective work performance is achieved but effective co-ordination also.
(iv) Proper feedback
The system of proper feedback will not only ensure effective coordination but help to correct those factors which create problems in co-ordination. Because in this way we will have adequate check and inspection to know what is happening in the organization, where the problems of co-ordination exist; and what factors are responsible for such problems.
(v) Proper organizational culture Something without which coordination cannot exist in any organization and it is dependent on many things. Leaders have to take the responsibility of building up an effective organization culture and once it is established, then there is no need to look upon the problem of co-ordination.
Principles of Co-ordination
The classical management thinker-Mary Parker Follett, suggested four basic principles of co-ordination and two were added later on which are as follows
(i) Principle of Direct Contact
It is based on the theme that coordination can never be achieved by freedom, authority, power, order, instruction, coercion but by mutual understanding, good relationship, better communication skills, open discussions and informal gatherings where direct contact with the others is facilitated.
(ii) Co-ordination at Early Stage
Conflict, Disagreement, Hospitality, Indifference will be reduced if co-ordination has been tried at the early stage of work cycles that is, at the planning stage. If the members have been involved in decision making process then they will realize the problems and will not create the hurdles.
(iii) Principle of Continuity
Co-ordination is a continuous, perpetual, never ending process and should be done on regular basis; it emerges with the organization and ends with it.
(iv) Principle of Dynamics
Change is the only factor which is constant and changes in the organization occur externally as well as internally. Many organizational practices do get out of date when organizational changes take place. Coordination work on dynamic basis rather than rigid j and fixed basis.
(v) Principle of Timing
It states that timing of various organisational performances should synchronize with each other so that no wastage of time and others resources is there.
(vi) Principle of Reciprocal Relationship
In every organization all the departments are correlated with each other affect each others performance, though the amount of reciprocity may not be equal. The principle of Reciprocal Relationship states that the way of performing such functions should be altered in such a way that these affect each other positively.