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Wednesday 13 May 2009

Discipline me baby!

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***

8 comments:

Theo said...

What's he so scared of?

corporate daycare said...

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.

HRD said...

@Theo - Thanks for your comment. That is a very intuitive question Theo. What are they afraid of? Thoughts?

HRD said...

@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!

HR Good_Witch said...

I love your CEO exchanges! Keep 'em comin.

HRD said...

@HR Good_Witch - Thank you, thats kind. The funny thing is they are all absolutely real!

Anonymous said...

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.

HRD said...

@Anonymous - Thanks for your comment. You're not insane. Its them out there that are!!