Controlling is a function of management that helps to check errors and take corrective actions to minimize deviation from standards and ensure that the stated goals of the organization are achieved in a desired manner). The control function of management is critical because it involves directing the activities of others and making sure that plans are carried out or modified if conditions warrant. The control process involves three steps: establishing standards, measuring performance against these standards, and correcting deviations from standards and plans. The purpose of the control function is to ensure that the organization makes progress towards the established goals by installing processes to guide the team towards goals and monitoring performance towards goals. The control function is highly intertwined with the planning phase, and the guides that managers use to ensure progress and the mechanisms used to monitor progress are areas that need direct consideration before the plan implementation begins.
In summary, controlling in management involves setting standards, measuring actual performance, and taking corrective action in decision making to ensure that the organization achieves its goals in a desired manner.
