The Essential Definitions

WHAT IS DISCIPLINE? And what is documentation? If you have only a fuzzy idea of what these two concepts mean in an organizational context, don’t feel bad—you’re not alone. Many managers find it difficult to define the terms discipline and documention clearly, in a way that sheds light on their practical meaning in the workplace. Such difficulty is understandable; however, the lack of clarity is unacceptable, especially for anyone who wants to learn how to discipline and document legally and effectively.

This chapter addresses the problem by focusing on the essential definitions you need in order to fully learn and use the processes and formats to come. Specifically, we will look at these six terms:

A useful worksheet, “The Manager’s Coaching Self-Profile,” is also included, to help you gauge your strengths and developmental needs in the area of coaching.