6.04 Article Summary

Preparatory Instructions

As you prepare for this week’s article summary, think about any type of discipline you received or had to give in the past. How did it make you feel? What could have gone better? What would you have done differently? Discipline is often viewed in a negative light for several reasons; 1) Many managers avoid needed discipline and then things build up until something really bad happens, or 2) It is viewed as punitive only and not as the intended catalyst for changing behavior, which ultimately allows the employee to grow AND keep his/her job.

Introduce the Task

You will summarize key points about discipline and how it ultimately is for the betterment of the employee, the manager and the organization. As you research and find your article, be honest and see if you have bought into some of the myths that surround the discipline process.

Objectives

The objectives of this summary are as follows:

• Establish the need for “rules and regulations” in the operation of any organization.
• Suggest some self-improvement guidelines for taking—as well as delivering—criticism.
• To understand that the process of discipline is often overlooked due to the participants viewing it as confrontational, but its intent is behavior modification.

Examples

Here is an example of the insight a student gained from their selected article. ” In reading the article regarding Interviewing, the realization of the amount of effort and importance that surrounds the preparation for the interview was significant”. While most (including this writer) may put in 30 minutes of prep time for an interview, it was overwhelming to discover that successful job applicants had put in 8-24 hours of research and prep time.” This shows that the student has absorbed a new thought or process around the concept of Interviewing. Successful completion is not just a re-stating of facts in the article. Share your learning in your summary.

Deliverables

A one-two page summary document should be submitted via Canvas. Ideally, this will be done in Microsoft Word. Be sure to review the rubric in order to obtain the maximum points.