--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Five coordinating mechanisms seem to…" description: "\"Five coordinating mechanisms seem to explain the fundamental ways in which organizations coordinate their work: mutual adjustment, direct supervision, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/henry-mintzberg-10810_adjustment_five-coordinating-mechanisms-seem-to-exp_2018094.jpg" --- # Five coordinating mechanisms seem to explain the… ![“Five coordinating mechanisms seem to explain the fundamental ways in which organizations coordinate their work: mutual adjustment, direct supervision, standardization of work processes, standardization of work outputs, and standardization of worker skills.” quote by Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/henry-mintzberg-10810_adjustment_five-coordinating-mechanisms-seem-to-exp_2018094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/henry-mintzberg-10810_adjustment_five-coordinating-mechanisms-seem-to-exp_2018094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cf/henry-mintzberg-10810_adjustment_five-coordinating-mechanisms-seem-to-exp_2018094.jpg) > “Five coordinating mechanisms seem to explain the fundamental ways in which organizations coordinate their work: mutual adjustment, direct supervision, standardization of work processes, standardization of work outputs, and standardization of worker skills.” [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Organizations use five basic coordination mechanisms to align activities and achieve goals. **In simple terms:** Five ways groups align work. Key Takeaway Identify which mechanism fits your team. Themes coordination management structure Mood analytical pragmatic Type theoretical practical When to use this quote - project teams - manufacturing lines - remote work - educational institutions Key Concepts organizational theory process design Questions to Reflect On - Which coordination method does your organization rely on? - How can you improve clarity among mechanisms? A Different Perspective Mechanisms can overlap and cause confusion if not clearly defined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adjustment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adjustment/) [Coordinate Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinate-work-3641071/) [Coordinates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinates/) [Coordinating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinating/) [Coordinating Mechanisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coordinating-mechanisms-3641070/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanism/) [Mutual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organizations Coordinate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations-coordinate-3641069/) [Output](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/output/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Standardization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standardization/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Ways Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-organizations-3641072/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [Here we are at the very core of the thesis we wish to defend in the present essay: reverie is under the sign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/here-we-are-at-the-very-core-of-the-thesis-we-wish-to-defend-in-the/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [I moved on to the University of California, Berkley, coordinating interpreters for Deaf students at the university. 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The applications from without are merely to create within a coordinating mental and spiritual force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/know-that-all-healing-forces-are-within-not-without-the-applications/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was more politically oriented. Part and parcel of the initial SNCC efforts was to not only go in for voter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/student-nonviolent-coordinating-committee-was-more-politically/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [A lot of association on the internet is highly constructive. There are people interacting, interchanging ideas, making plans, coordinating activities; take any of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-lot-of-association-on-the-internet-is-highly-constructive-there-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Stunt coordinating is a good training ground for directing because you have exposure to all the departments in film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/stunt-coordinating-is-a-good-training-ground-for-directing-because/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [Coordinating our efforts and sharing information and expertise is a great way to step up our fight against violent criminals. We are determined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fantino/coordinating-our-efforts-and-sharing-information-and-expertise-is-a/) [Julian Fantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fantino/) > [Realizing that our minds control our bodies while our bodies reflect our minds amounts to understanding the most fundamental aspects of ourselves. It further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/realizing-that-our-minds-control-our-bodies-while-our-bodies-reflect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The school has the function of coordinating within the disposition of each individual the diverse influences of the various social environments into which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-school-has-the-function-of-coordinating-within-the-disposition-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We supporters of the two-state solution in Israel and Palestine are now under a fierce attack from the far right and from the far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/we-supporters-of-the-two-state-solution-in-israel-and-palestine-are/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Management has to provide the coordinating mechanism between what the supplier provides and what the user needs in not-good-enough situations where product architecture is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/management-has-to-provide-the-coordinating-mechanism-between-what-the/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [It transmitted because on the campuses, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was recruiting, was organizing. 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Maybe that is the problem, all the turning organizations around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/to-turn-around-is-to-end-up-facing-the-same-way-maybe-that-is-the/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Never set out to be the best. It's too low a standard. Set out to be good. Do Your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/never-set-out-to-be-the-best-it-s-too-low-a-standard-set-out-to-be/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“being a manager’ means not merely assuming a position of authority but also becoming more dependent on others,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/being-a-manager-means-not-merely-assuming-a-position-of-authority-but/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Basically, managing is about influencing action. Managing is about helping organizations and units to get things done, which means action. 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Engagement is what managers do with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/empowerment-is-what-managers-do-to-people-engagement-is-what-managers/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [“A good part of the work of managing involves doing what specialists do, but in particular ways that make use of the manager’s special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/a-good-part-of-the-work-of-managing-involves-doing-what-specialists/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Why does every generation have to think that he lives in the period with the greatest turbulence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/why-does-every-generation-have-to-think-that-he-lives-in-the-period/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Management is a curious phenomenon. It is generously paid, enormously influential, and significantly devoid of common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/management-is-a-curious-phenomenon-it-is-generously-paid-enormously/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [So technologies, whether it is a telephone or an iPhone, computers in general or automobiles, television even, all individualize us. We all sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/so-technologies-whether-it-is-a-telephone-or-an-iphone-computers-in/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Data don't generate theory - only researchers do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/data-don-t-generate-theory-only-researchers-do-that/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Effective managing therefore happens where art , craft, and science meet. But in a classroom of students without managerial experience, these have no place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/effective-managing-therefore-happens-where-art-craft-and-science-meet/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are social institutions. If they don't serve society, they have no business existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-social-institutions-if-they-don-t-serve-society-they/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [Corporations are economic entities, to be sure, but they are also social institutions that must justify their existence by their overall contribution to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/corporations-are-economic-entities-to-be-sure-but-they-are-also/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) [Explore all 63 Henry Mintzberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) ## More Adjustment quotes > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The human body has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought about by its environment. The secret of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-johnson/the-human-body-has-been-designed-to-resist-an-infinite-number-of/) [Harry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-johnson/) > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The biggest adjustment from the minors was learning to spend $45 in meal money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-van-slyke/the-biggest-adjustment-from-the-minors-was-learning-to-spend-45-in/) [Andy Van Slyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-van-slyke/) > [Memory, with its fugitive adjustments, is the merciful veil to the grim enactments of the first law. It hides the anguish in the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-aumonier/memory-with-its-fugitive-adjustments-is-the-merciful-veil-to-the-grim/) [Stacy Aumonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-aumonier/) > [Success comes from repeated efforts day in and day out. You learn from your mistakes, make adjustments and continue pressing forward until you achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/success-comes-from-repeated-efforts-day-in-and-day-out-you-learn-from/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [If your plan isn't working, adjust your plan. Never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-martin/if-your-plan-isn-t-working-adjust-your-plan-never-give-up/) [Matt Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-martin/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [The terror of the atom age is not the violence of the new power but the speed of man's adjustment to it, the speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/the-terror-of-the-atom-age-is-not-the-violence-of-the-new-power-but/) [E. B. 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