The Purpose of Discipline
"The purpose of discipline," a nurse once told me, "is to correct behavior." According to one
article in
HR Magazine, the purpose of discipline is "to create and maintain a productive, responsive workforce" to "rehabilitate" employees. And one human resources expert on About.com
insists it isn't about punishment, but about helping the employee "to overcome performance problems and satisfy job expectations."
Where do I begin?
First, if we're talking lab rats getting periodic electrode jolts at the end of leads implanted in their brains to make sure they turn left in a maze, then, yes, "discipline" can "correct" behavior.
Second, if those few employees who really are intractable or incompetent can't be fired outright, then perhaps progressive steps--oral warning, written warning, etc.--may convince them to change their behavior, at least in your presence. (How often does that really happen? How often is "discipline" a legal cover for the employer?)
The above words--correct, productive, responsive, performance--hint that the purpose of discipline is to maintain a behavioral status quo the employer defines, making the potential for abuse enormous. And every employee with a pile of bills at home knows it.
A stick is always a stick, in other words.
Alternative words are listen, understand, enlighten, inspire and even partner. An employer's responsibility doesn't end with defining "standards" of behavior. The larger scope of the work environment, from hiring to mentoring to rewarding, needs to enable "correct" behavior. A manager who writes up an employee without first listening to all sides and looking inward is cheating the employee, the organization and especially the patients.
It may sound like armchair psychology, but if people are the most valuable resource, they should feel valued. This means eliminating a culture of fear ("correcting" behavior) and establishing an open culture of collaboration. Wouldn't it be wonderful to view your manager, your pathologist or your CEO as a colleague? Wouldn't it be wonderful to not be afraid to report an error? Wouldn't it be wonderful for all parties involved to say, "How can we do better?"