Transcript Slide 1

Positive Discipline
TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM
Agenda
 What is Positive Discipline
 Why Change?
 Traditional Progressive Discipline
 Advantages for employees
 Comparison of Systems
 Future Training and Development
Positive
Discipline
Grote, Dick. (2006).
Discipline without
punishment: The proven
strategy that turns problem
employees into superior
performers (2nd ed.). New
York: American
Management Association.
It began with a potato chip!
What is Positive Discipline?
 Provides for recognition of good
performance exhibited by the majority of our
employees.
 A system that provides a way of solving
employee performance and conduct
problems by focusing on an adult to adult
relationship.
 Requires employees to take responsibility for
their own behavior.
What is Positive Discipline?
 Innovative Process for addressing
performance in the work place.
 Is not punitive in nature
 Encourages communication
Why change?
 Traditional “Progressive Discipline” system
 Reflects
1930”s labor vs. management
assumptions
 Goal is COMPLIANCE, not COMMITMENT
 Did not reinforce a positive change
 Often results in disharmony and the lack of
trust in the workplace
What's wrong with the old system?
 All 33 colleges and the central office
potentially address discipline issues
differently
 Minimal level of communication focused on
what is being done right
 Conflicts with organizational values
 Managers solve employee problems instead
of employees taking responsibility for
problems
What’s the advantage for employees?
1. More frequent recognition of job well done.
2. Confidence that managers/supervisors will
confront workers who do not share the
same work ethics and commitment.
3. Employees will be treated equitably and
fairly in the discipline process.
What’s the advantage for employees?
4. Supportive of a high performance
environment.
5. Provides reference guide (matrix) for
movement though the process for both
managers and employees – no surprises.
6. Managers given discretion to manage and
provide feedback to staff.
Comparison
of Systems
Informal Discipline Transactions
 Positive contacts
 Performance
Improvement
Discussions (PID)
Formal Discipline Transactions
 Reminder 1
 Reminder 2
 Decision Making
Leave (DML)
 Termination
What is a Decision Making Leave?
 A Decision Making Leave (DML) is a one-
day disciplinary suspension with pay.
 It is the final step of the Positive Discipline
procedure.
What is a Decision Making Leave?
On the “Decision Day” the employee must
decide:
Either:
1. SOLVE the immediate problem and
COMMIT to maintaining a fully acceptable
performance in every area of the job or
2. RESIGN, and find more satisfying work
elsewhere.
Why Suspend?
 Allows a “cooling-off” period.
 Communicates the seriousness of the issue.
 Demonstrates management resolve
 Provides time to think
 Previews unemployment
 Sends a message to others
 Accepted by third parties as “sufficient
notice”
Why pay while on suspension?
 Changes supervisory role from adversary to
coach
 Demonstrates organization’s good faith
 Eliminates money as an issue
 Preserves relationships
 Reduces anger, hostility and the potential
risk of workplace violence
DML Concerns and Myths
 Paid time off while suspended rewards
misbehavior
 Employees won’t take it seriously –
employees will take advantage of DML to get
a “free day off”
 It’s too gentle/soft/tolerant/permissive
DML Concerns and Myths
 It won’t be upheld by third parties
 Good employees will resent it
 Supervisors won’t be satisfied unless they get
their “pound of flesh”
What is the bottom line?
 The Technical College System of Georgia is not
implementing Positive Discipline because there
are numerous disciplinary issues prevalent in
our technical colleges and central office
operations.
 TCSG feels this approach fits the vision of how
an organization that values respect, self-esteem
and individual responsibility deals with the
inevitable issues of organizational life.
What happens if we don’t change?
 Inconsistency in treating performance issues
continues throughout Technical College
System of Georgia (Several colleges – one
agency)
 Decisions and appeal processes unknown to
employees until day of action
 Employees may or may not be asked to help
in resolving situations
Implementation Timeline
 Implementation targeted for:
 January 2008
 Additional communication will be provided
 Training will be provided to managers in
November and December
 Awareness sessions planned for employees
 Managers will be tasked with
communicating the new program to their
employees
Implementation Success
 Learn about the process
 Ask questions
 Be optimistic
 Communicate the program to your staff
Quote
The only person who likes and
welcomes change is a wet
baby. The rest of us have to adapt
and accept the only thing that is
constant in life -- change.
Stay Tuned...
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON…