Advantages and Pitfalls of Planning Planning is one of the primary functions of management by which managers select objectives; create structured strategies and processes for making important decisions to achieve those goals. Planning is done at different levels of an organization to achieve short-term or long-term goals. Planning is beneficial to the company but can be disastrous if not well managed. The first benefit of planning is that it provides direction and purpose to an organization. Planning is like the steering wheel of a car, used by organizations as a mechanism for deciding where to go. “When we inform people by clearly communicating the company's destination, they develop a sense of direction and focus” (Green, 2011). Employees can be as enthusiastic as managers about achieving the goal if they know exactly what it is. They will avoid wandering away and work towards the direction of the goal. Secondly, planning promotes team building and a sense of unity among the people involved in achieving your goals. The effort exerted by managers and employees is more intense when following a specific plan. Third, the fact that people are united pushes them to be persistent and determined to achieve the goal, even if it means working hard for long periods. Another benefit of planning is that it allows the manager and employees to find ways to get the job done effectively and efficiently. Finally, formulating a plan is a valid and proven strategy for surviving in today's unforgiving environment, without which it would be chaotic. Even the best laid plans may sometimes fail to produce the desired result. The first obstacle of planning is that it hinders the need for change. The first concept when planning is the belief that it would work mostly... middle of paper... on time, but it involves assembling experts into a group that will crucially examine each decision or solution until they have reached a consensus. Fourth, the stepladder technique is another way to improve decision making. The Stepladder technique produces satisfying ideas because it guarantees the participation of each member. It also allows shy or quiet people to share their ideas and points of view before reaching a final decision. Finally, the group decision-making technique can be improved by electronic brainstorming where members can present their ideas via computer. This technique is useful for people who are unable to express their thoughts verbally and feel more comfortable writing. Unlike face-to-face brainstorming, electronic brainstorming is more productive and each member has the freedom to express their ideas without worrying about how others would react.