Discipline me baby!
05/13/2009
Its been an emotional week for a number of reasons – mostly good. One of the things thats needed doing in amongst all of this is dealing with the situation I described here. It was all going swimmingly. And then this…..
CEO: HRD?
HRD: CEO….I live to serve…..
CEO: Funny. Where are we with that thing, that situation?
HRD: Swine flu?
CEO: No the naughty people
HRD: Interesting you should mention that. I’m just writing the outcome of the disciplinary now, drafting the letter.
CEO: Can I see it before it goes? You know, I have known all the parties involved for a very long time.
HRD……..uhhhh……yep…….s’pose so
CEO: Excellent. Next five minutes? Bye.
HRD: Crap…..
Ten minutes later after aforementioned letter has been sent.
CEO: HRD? Ummm I mean….this…..ummm….this letter
HRD: Which letter?
CEO: Which letter! The one you just sent me!
HRD: Ohhh…..that one….
CEO: Yessss that one. Well, I mean…..its a bit formal…
HRD:…..it is a disciplinary warning….
CEO:I know….its just….ummm….well he really won’t like it…
HRD: …..it is a disciplinary warning….
CEO: I mean, can’t we tone it down…..make it more ambiguous?
HRD: …….an ambiguous disciplinary warning?
CEO: Well if we send this he will be seriously pissed off!
HRD:….its a………
CEO: ….disciplinary warning….I know….you keep on saying….I just thought maybe I could reword it, soften it down, make it look like he’s not at fault…..
HRD: Thats a really good idea, I think blame should be kept out of disciplinary situations…
CEO: Look I know you won’t like it but, can’t we just keep this informal, light touch, between us…..
HRD: Ummm….I think we went past that point when we sat down in the hearing…..
CEO: I mean tell me if you think I’m mad?
HRD: You’re mad
CEO: Really?
HRD: Yep
CEO: Well OK, how about this. I mean, if he gets this from his manager all fucking hell is going to break loose. So I thought….how about it comes from……..
HRD: Nope!
CEO: How about…….it comes from…
HRD: No!
CEO:….you?
HRD: Its not happening.
CEO: Really?
HRD: Really.
CEO: I thought you’d say that. Ok well, I’ll take the letter home, rewrite it and send it back to you tomorrow. OK? Ciao
***Clunk***
My Hell is Other People 
What’s he so scared of?
The pen is mightier than the sword.
There's something about putting it in black & white that scares the crap out of people both the receiver and the giver. Everything is okay as long as we "talk it out".
I hear you. Oh how I hear you.
@Theo – Thanks for your comment. That is a very intuitive question Theo. What are they afraid of? Thoughts?
@Corporate Daycare – Thanks for coming back. Yes there does seem to be some aversion to making it real. Of course, as you would expect, I won the day!
I love your CEO exchanges! Keep ’em comin.
@HR Good_Witch – Thank you, thats kind. The funny thing is they are all absolutely real!
LOL! oh wow- story of my HR career life- every time i write a disciplinary letter i’m told to ‘tone it down’ and ‘it’s too harsh’- i swear- EVERY time….thank you so much for sharing this- now I know now i’m not insane.
@Anonymous – Thanks for your comment. You’re not insane. Its them out there that are!!