Some if not many of us impose discipline the old fashion way. This means that we punish the transgressor right in front of the crowd to shame the person. But when we do this we only plant the seeds of anger and resentment on the person being disciplined. He/she may not immediately vent out the anger and resentment for the shame that he/she had been subjected. But sooner or later he/she would vent out the anger and resentment.
There are leaders/managers who are heavy-handed when they impose discipline because they think that it is the appropriate way. But heavy-handedness in imposing discipline is counterproductive because it results to the development of deep-seated feeling of resentment.
So, what should a leader/manager do when he/she impose discipline? The leader/manager should immediately call for a private meeting with the subject transgressor/s so that appropriate punishment could be imposed in private. By doing this the leader/manager avoids the unnecessary and arrogant projection of his/her power and authority.
What is the importance of having a private meeting with someone who breached the discipline of the organization or someone who is at fault? You signify your sincerity to correct the person who is at fault. And you send a message that you want to immediately contain and solve the problem without grandstanding, ego-tripping and without insulting anyone.
By doing
so, you create a sincere message that you want to heal the wayward behavior
without shaming the concerned person in front of the crowd. If you do this you
will even get the respect of the person whom you are disciplining.
Many of us commit the mistake of correcting a person in front of a crowd but
this will not help heal a wayward behavior. This would only create a deeper
emotional resentment to the person who is at fault. Hence, instead of bringing
him/her closer to correction, healing and reconciliation we instead are
creating an emotional bubble within the person being disciplined which could
explode anytime.
Let us not let ourselves be eaten by our power and authority when we impose discipline or when we exercise our leadership because this will not do us any good. When we unnecessarily and arrogantly discharge our power and authority we are only exposing how flawed and limited our leadership skills are. Let us instead hold on to civility, respect and reason because this is the only way to correct and completely heal a wayward behavior.
What is the use of showcasing our power and authority in public if it would only create deeper emotional injury? What is the use of correcting a person in full view of the crowd if it would only create a monster called hatred and resentment? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
