The Leader’s Power To Discipline

I think it is smart for bosses to have an equitable, unambiguous system for rewarding consistently effortful and ethically productive employee behavior. Your power to reward behavior stems mainly from your formal authority and position; however, smart bosses learn early that sincere praise and thanks, two very effective rewards, require neither title nor budget.

The use of power afforded by your formal position is both a privilege and a responsibility. The leader’s responsibility to discipline undesirable behavior is an inseparable aspect of the proper use of power.  Yukl (2010) offers the following ten guidelines for using power to maintain discipline at work (p. 160):

1.      Explain rules and requirements, and ensure that people understand the serious consequences of violations

2.      Respond to infractions promptly and consistently without showing any favoritism to particular individuals

3.      Investigate to get the facts before using reprimands or punishment, and avoid jumping to conclusions or making hasty accusations

4.      Except for the most serious infractions, provide sufficient oral and written warnings before resorting to punishment.

5.      Administer warnings and reprimands in private, and avoid making rash threats

6.      Stay calm and avoid the appearance of hostility or personal rejection

7.      Express a sincere desire to help the person comply with role expectations and thereby avoid punishment

8.      Invite the person to suggest ways to correct the problem, and seek agreement on a concret plan

9.      Maintain credibility by administering punishment if noncompliance continues and threats and warnings have been made

10.  Use punishments that are legitimate, fair, and commensurate with the seriousness of the infraction

Discipline is not a dirty word. If you don’t learn to discipline properly when necessary, you simply can’t be an effective boss.

Make sure your list of undesirable behaviors is complete, but as short as possible. Explain why each specific behavior is unacceptable, as well as the procedures (what, when, and how the discipline will be applied) employees can expect for each unacceptable behavior. For example, excessive absenteeism, bullying, and stealing each have different effects on the workplace; therefore, each requires a separate disciplinary approach.

If you fail to discipline when the behavior occurs, you have effectively redefined the behavior from unacceptable to acceptable. Random discipline will undermine the credibility almost every other personnel system (e.g. staffing, scheduling, performance appraisal) you use to operate your business.

Most of your employees will hold themselves accountable for standards far above your boundaries. Expect everyone to behave as adults at work, but be prepared for those that don’t. You do yourself and your employees a tremendous disservice when you fail to address bad behavior in your workplace.

Related Posts:

The Fist Of Bad Management

Communicating Concerns About Performance: Focus On Behaviors

Power: The Heart Of Leadership

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Tags: Credibility, evidence-based management, power, responsibility, systems, values
Posted in Leadership