In organizational management, what term encompasses the overall strategy for achieving goals?

The term that encompasses the overall strategy for achieving goals is planning. This process involves defining an organization's objectives and determining the most effective strategies and actions to achieve them. Planning is essential in providing direction, ensuring resource allocation aligns with goals, and establishing benchmarks for measuring progress.

Through planning, management can anticipate challenges and opportunities, allowing for proactive rather than reactive strategies. This step is foundational in the management process, as it sets the stage for the other functions, including leading, organizing, and controlling. While leading involves guiding and motivating employees, organizing focuses on establishing a structure or framework for operations. Controlling relates to monitoring and evaluating progress toward goals, but planning is where those goals are initially set and strategies designed.