“Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard.” – Peter Drucker
Do you see disciplinary discussions as punishment or as a form of coaching and teaching? Many managers avoid beginning their company’s progressive disciplinary process because they view discipline as punishment. Since part of leadership is to raise performance levels, discipline is an important part of a manager’s job. Here are a few tips to change your viewpoint of discipline from punishment to leading:
-Ask yourself “What is the Price of Delay?”:
“Hoping, wishing and praying” that an employee’s problem performance or behavior will improve usually doesn’t work. The consequence of delaying the disciplinary discussion may be decreased productivity, customer complaints and low morale from other employees who see nothing being done to correct the problem.
– Establish Expectations:
The best type of discipline is self discipline. Most employees want to do the right thing. Allow them to become self disciplined by clearly explaining performance goals and the behavior-on-the job expectations.
-Document and Discuss Facts, not Opinions or Emotions:
Keep your documentation and discussion focused on the facts stated with specific examples referring back to the expectations that were established. Remember your role is to lead, coach and teach and not to punish or chastise.
-Involve Your Employee:
Which solution will elicit more commitment: a solution imposed on your employee or one that he/she develops? To further encourage self discipline, explain that your role is to point out areas that need improvement but you would like involvement and commitment in developing the improvement plan.
Begin today with a new viewpoint of discipline and you will see raised performance in your organization.
Interested in a Disciplinary workshop for your managers?