Discipline as a Motivational Tool |
It is never a nice thing to dismiss people for poor performance or for transgressions of disciplinary rules. Many managers dread having “The Disciplinary Conversation” with a member of their team. They will:
- Ignore behavior
- Be in denial that there is an issue
- Take a small “stab” at the issue hoping for a result
- Move the person onto another department
- Make the person feel unwanted
- Use sarcasm to make a point
None of which is helpful for the staff member, the team or the reputation of the manager and his/ her organization. It certainly does nothing for increased performance and results.
The good news is that we can use the disciplinary process as a motivational tool, when used with care, empathy and a good degree of determination.
There is a 5-step model for having “The Disciplinary Conversation” that managers may find helpful, however there is an important step everyone should take before embarking on this effective disciplinary process. Take legal advice first and let them know what you intend to say and do. Respect your country's employment law when you come to implement the steps.
The approach to take is to first:
- Pinpoint the behavior you want - Nail exactly what is required and write this in your records and for clarity during your conversations
- Record the facts - Record facts, not hearsay, input from others should be based on unemotional details, not points of view
- Involve the person - Ask them what they think. It is easy for the manager to be judge and jury, resist the urge to jump to conclusions
- Coach the person - Make the person understand the situation and their behavior so that they value your intervention and realize that you are by their side, wanting and supporting their success.
- Evaluate progress - Hold regular stewardship interviews to ensure they are on track. Be a cheerleader for their successes, big and small.
Enjoy this article? Feel free to share your comment, idea or opinion in the comment section
Tags: | Discipline Motivational Tool |
Related Articles
Purpose: How to define it and make it work for you and your companyBehind every tainted enterprise, we like to think there is someone who simply forgot that the law applied to him. So he cut corners. He bent the rules. He did not consider himself to be a criminal he was just being "aggressive" and "entrepreneurial. And in the personal lives of those [Read more]
|
Posted: 15 years ago | |
Setting a Child’s Learning Foundation Right - The Role of Parents/CarersBefore reading this article, please take a moment to ask yourself these questions: Who is a parent/carer? How did it feel like being a parent/carer for the first time? What is my role in a child’s overall development? How can I as a parent/carer contribute to the success of a [Read more]
|
Posted: 11 years ago | |
A Closer Look at Nigeria’s Economic PerformanceUncertain Performance - Just how well is the Nigerian Economy performing? In the absence of a holistic report articulating the economic performance of Nigeria, no one could claim to know. There are only a lot of partial views on different aspects of the economy being expressed by different governmen [Read more]
|
Posted: 11 years ago |