Rule by respect, not fear

Whether you are the CEO of a large conglomerate or the General of an Army, discipline is a serious issue that no good leader will want to take lightly. At some point, someone in your organisation will not follow the rules or guidelines. The right decision in such a situation will make the difference between success and failure.

You must properly discipline those who break the rules for the health of your organisation. However, properly disciplining your followers is easier said than done, and it is a delicate issue that you will want to manage intelligently.

You cannot afford to get too friendly with your followers. If you are too close to employees, you may find it difficult to take action against someone in your team who has broken the rules or violated policies. For example, if someone is constantly being late despite warnings, you must take a decision quickly without allowing it to set a bad precedent by default.

Strong bond

First, a leader should never become too close to any of his followers. While you have to create a strong bond with the entire team, there are certain dangers involved in becoming too friendly with any one person for reasons other than sheer performance.

There is a danger that such a person may think that he can break the rules and still get away with it. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. If a business leader fails to discipline a person because of a close relationship, what typically happens is that other members of the team will notice it and become resentful. If they feel that one person can get away with anything, they will think they can do likewise.

No one should be above the rules, not even the leader. If they do wrong, they should be subjected to the same disciplinary action that is meted out to other employees. This creates a fair environment where everyone feels equal. The way you discipline your followers is important. You should not be to be too harsh if it is not necessary.

If you do this, your followers will fear you. You should never make your followers to fear you. You should expect them to respect you. You shouldn't discipline your followers in a way that makes them resentful.

They should understand why they are being disciplined and what value discipline creates for the business and vice versa. Explain to them what can happen when they don't follow rules - show them the negative implications on the entire operation. It is never a good idea to discipline out of anger or deal with such issues or people emotionally.

Don't be seen as weak

Being a leader can be stressful, as the decisions you make will have an effect on the lives of the people who follow you. However, don't discipline your followers too lightly either. If you do, it will send a message that you are a weak leader who is not serious about your employees following the rules.

Make sure that you discipline them in a way that will earn their respect. All employees should embrace and live by the same standard of discipline. No one should be exempt, not even the the leader. An organisation set up like this, will succeed, because everyone will work at the same level of efficiency.

Great leaders should not rule by fear, but always rule by respect. Fulfilling relationships are very important for everyone. But there are significant differences being professionals and friends, and being professional friends. Professionalism is key to any relationship in the workplace.

Your life outside work should be considered fully separate from your life at the office.

It would be very easy to side with your friend in a dispute, but as a manager, you need to hear both sides during employee conflicts. Don't get too close to someone which will make you unable to remain unbiased. Building a high performing organisation is not an easy task yet an endless critical business need to succeed.

Leaders should mirror the behaviour and level of discipline they expect from subordinates. In the modern environment there is no better way to make people accountable and obligated.