Addressing Problem Performance

When the relatively informal measures that most managers will attempt fail, there has to be recourse to a more formal and powerful approach. This is the progressive disciplinary approach. Organizations need to have a clear and defined policy outlining their approach. Discipline is a very difficult time for both managers, and the employees they are applying this procedure to. So the onus on managers is to get it right. This means careful and conscientious planning of the actual process. Managers also need to be aware of the legal implications of the disciplinary actions they take, if they are to avoid causing substantial litigation problems for their company. The conventional staged disciplinary approach based on a punitive style is considered in detail so that managers can feel confident in the way they progress form verbal warnings, through written warnings, and finally to the termination of a problem performer. Finally, an alternative to the conventional disciplinary approach is outlined. Based on Dick Grote's writing, the Discipline without Punishment model is outlined and explained. Managers can then identify the differences in this way of acting, and learn how to coach within the model and how to operate the different stages of the system.

Managers, supervisors, project team leaders, and human resource professionals who need to deal with problem performance both informally and formally