Method

The word "method" refers to the prescribed way or manner in which a specific task has to be performed, keeping the objective in view. A method does not deal with an entire plan or a broad procedure — it focuses on a single step within a procedure and specifies exactly how that one step is to be carried out.

For example, if the procedure is "recruiting a new employee," one step within that procedure might be "conducting the interview." The method would then describe the precise manner in which the interview is to be conducted: whether it will be a panel interview, a one-on-one discussion, or a group exercise.

Methods vary from task to task. What works for one step may be completely unsuitable for another. The key benefit of selecting the proper method is that it saves time, money, and effort, and it increases overall efficiency. A poorly chosen method wastes resources and slows down work.

A practical illustration of this is training employees at different levels of management. The method used for top management is not the same as the method used for supervisory staff.

• For higher-level management, orientation programmes, lectures, and seminars are appropriate methods. These are formal, conceptual, and discussion-based. …