By: Maurice Gilbert, Managing Partner of Conselium Executive Search
Some leaders misguidedly think that they can infuse discipline within their team like an anesthesiologist introducing anesthesia into a patent. I did look in the dictionary, and it reinforces this concept, describing discipline in these terms: “control gained by enforcing obedience or order, orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior, self-control.”
In close reflection on the concept of discipline, I realized that none of my superiors was able to get my cooperation based on the ability to gain my obedience. In seeking an answer, I asked a mentor of mine who always seemed driven to excel in business, sports, parenting and more. His take is that discipline is simply a function of remembering what you want…simply staying focused.
How would you apply this concept to your team? How about requesting that each of your staff identify the objectives you identified and suggest that each commit them to writing and review the list several times a day. On the whiteboard in my office, I have displayed the words “Discipline is remembering what you want.” Underneath that statement is a list of what I want to accomplish.
Maurice Gilbert is Managing Partner of Conselium Executive Search, which specializes in placing Compliance Officers and Legal Counsel for clients in the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Maurice is also CEO of Corporate Compliance Insights, a worldwide publication devoted to governance, risk and compliance issues. Maurice can be reached at maurice@conselium.com or maurice@corporatecomplianceinsights.com.
