Positive Discipline

TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIASTATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM

Agenda

What is Positive DisciplineWhy Change?Traditional Progressive DisciplineAdvantages for employeesComparison of SystemsFuture Training and Development

It began with a potato chip!

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.

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 natureEncourages communication

Why change?

Traditional “Progressive Discipline” system

Reflects 1930”s labor vs. management assumptions

Goal is COMPLIANCE, not COMMITMENTDid not reinforce a positive changeOften 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 valuesManagers 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 resolveProvides time to thinkPreviews unemploymentSends a message to othersAccepted 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 issuePreserves relationshipsReduces 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

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”

DML Concerns and Myths

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 providedTraining will be provided to managers in

November and DecemberAwareness sessions planned for employeesManagers will be tasked with

communicating the new program to their employees

Implementation Success

Learn about the processAsk questionsBe optimisticCommunicate 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.

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON…

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