Reflective Writing: Analysis of Management Functions in an Incident

This reflective report analyzes an incident where the student utilized the four primary management functions: Planning, Organizing, Leadership, and Controlling (POLC). The incident involves managing a New Year's Eve event at the student's uncle's café in the absence of key managerial staff. The report details the planning process, including decisions on event elements like decorations and the menu, and the organization of staff responsibilities. It highlights the student's leadership in coordinating the event and the strategies used to control the situation when the staff faced challenges. The report also provides a critical evaluation of the student's approach, identifying areas for improvement such as planning timelines, event promotion, and contingency measures, concluding with a reflection on the overall experience and its impact on future management strategies. References to relevant management theories are also included to support the analysis.

Running Head: REFLECTIVE WRITING 0
Reflective Writing
Managing People and Organization
(Student Details :)
1/28/2019

Reflective Writing 1
Contents
Reflection on Managing People and Organization....................................................................2
Incident Description...................................................................................................................2
Analysis......................................................................................................................................2
Planning..................................................................................................................................2
Organizing..............................................................................................................................2
Leadership..............................................................................................................................3
Controlling.............................................................................................................................3
Critical Evaluation.....................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................4

Reflective Writing 2
Reflection on Managing People and Organization
With the help of this reflective paper, I will reflect on a specific incident from my life where I
have used the four primary management functions of Planning, Organizing, Leadership and
Controlling. I will further analyse the incident as well as describe the major areas where I
have been utilised each of these four management functions. I will attempt to analyse and
evaluate how effective my management of that incident was as well as the areas where I will
improve something if I will get the opportunity to manage the same thing again in future.
Incident Description
The incident of my life over which I am reflecting is about organizing an event at the Café of
my uncle on the New Year’s Eve in the absence of most of the managerial level staff. I visit
my uncle’s café more often and help him in the normal management activities at the café.
However, his managers’ team is highly effective which never bothers my uncle for any
managing activities at the café. During the month of December in the last year, my uncle
called me and asked me to visit the café urgently. After reaching at the café, I got to know
that the manager and his assistant both are on absent since long time due to their personal
reasons and they will not be able to join the café even on 31st December. I analysed the
situation and assured my uncle that I will plan, organize, lead and control the event of New
Year’s Eve at the café.
Analysis
Planning
I had to plan the event with the some of the staff there while only 3 days were left to the New
Year’s Eve. Based on (Bolman and Deal, 2017), I planned each and everything from light’s
colour to dinner menu of the event. According to (Cooren et al., 2011), I also decided that
some portion of the outside area will also be decorated and live music will be on there to
attract the nearby public towards the event.
Organizing
I told each and everyone their work and send all of the staff to complete their own
responsibilities and work.

Reflective Writing 3
Leadership
According to (Zheng, Yang and Mclean, 2010), I lead the whole event at a very short notice
even without any support of managerial level staff of the café which gave me a motivation for
the future leadership events.
Controlling
During the whole event, when there was a surplus of people my staff was getting irritated and
they were confused. At that time as per my knowledge base (Colquitt et al., 2011), I
controlled everyone’s intentions and encouraged them to work efficiently.
Critical Evaluation
My overall approach of POLC management functions to the New Year’s Eve worked very
well and it gave me a life-time experience and learning.
Based on (Clarke, 2017), my future strategies or the areas where I would like to improve in
future are as follows:
 I will plan the New Year’s Eve event in 10 days advance at least.
 I will suggest my uncle to close the café for the 31st December’s morning till event
opening as it will create enthusiasm and excitement in the people around there.
 I will keep back up for each and everything if the audience or visitors at the café will
get increased at that time.
 I will try to integrate people’s opinions who visit our café frequently with my
planning.

Reflective Writing 4
References
Bolman, L.G. and Deal, T.E. (2017) Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and
leadership, London: John Wiley & Sons.
Clarke, I. (2017) Can You Assess & Manage Your Organizational Risk?, 19 Jul, [Online],
Available: https://linfordco.com/blog/organizational-risk-assessment-management/.
Colquitt, J., Lepine, J.A., Wessaon, M.J. and Gellatly, I.R. (2011) Organizational behavior:
Improving performance and commitment in the workplace, London: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Cooren, F., Kuhn, T., Cornelissen, J.P. and Clark, T. (2011) 'Communication, organizing and
organization: An overview and introduction to the special issue', Organization Studies, vol.
32, no. 9, pp. 1149-1170.
Zheng, W., Yang, B. and Mclean, G.N. (2010) 'Linking organizational culture, structure,
strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management',
Journal of Business research, vol. 63, no. 7, pp. 763-771.