2 Steps to Disciplining Employees – God’s Way
Updated: Jan 28, 2021
I’m not sure if I told you, but I stink at managing people. Its something that doesn’t come as natural as marketing does. I have to constantly work at it because as an entrepreneur, you’ll always be in situations of managing people.
And with management, inevitably you have to discipline people. Someone is going to screw up.
I’m not sure if I’ve met someone that loves to discipline people, so I’m sure it’s a touchy subject. I know some are better than others at it.
Can we admit that sometimes we’ve blown up and handled a disciplining moment horribly wrong.
How would God want you to discipline employees? Well, the same way He disciplines me and you.
PROVERBS 3:11-12 says
“My son, do not despise the Lord ’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
These verses show entrepreneurs what their attitude should be as they discipline their employees. Notice that God loves and delights in his children even as He corrects them. His discipline is not intended as harsh punishment, but as a loving act to encourage growth and maturity.
And don’t we want our employees to grow?
But sometimes, however, we react in ways that are designed to meet OUR needs instead of recognizing the bigger purpose of our discipline in growing our businesses.
We can avoid being reactive if we come up with a game plan in advance.
1) When you are calm, think of appropriate consequences for the ways your employees are likely to disobey or mess up.
2) Recognize your weak areas (a tendency to rescue, lecture, or yell) and think of alternative ways you could respond. I have a tendency to NOT discipline at all because I don’t like confrontation. Instead I do the job myself and avoid the gut wrenching conversations.
A discipline that is delivered calmly, consistently, and empathetically will be less likely to receive a rebellious response.
Discipline helps employees grow when it is delivered with empathy and love.