In the name of discipline!

What is discipline anyway? Is it related to what you ask me to abide by or is it something that is good to do? Now how do you determine what is good to do? Is it because the majority is doing it? I am seriously looking for an answer.

 If discipline is what the majority has chosen or made to do then there is no need for everyone to follow it. You are defeating the principle of the creativity. Thinking out of the box is encouraged in all the modern day workplaces where you are supposed to be one step ahead of everyone else and be resourceful where in you are needed to fill in to other departments when required. If you do not teach the kids to be proactive, creative and responsive where is the chance for them to learn about being creative?

If you are wounding up children to a strict stupid rule, like wearing an uniform like it is the military, then where is the notion of creativity. How does one decide what a child should grow up to when you could decide your next meal without a consent/consultation from several members of your social fabric?\

Today's Bangalore Mirror cover page spoke of a child being sent home for not wearing the school-issued-footwear. Though the article was about the way the child was sent home during working hours and was dropped outside her gated community and the issues related to safety which I completely agree, the issue is about adherence of some stupid rules which clearly points out to what kind of education would be taught in a school headed by a headstrong principal who felt it was wise to penalize the child  for a mismatch of the school uniform.

While I agree that enforcing uniform to a certain extent encourages discipline, it shouldn't be the primary focus. Schools should focus on mentoring talent, encourage kids to think beyond the cover to cover syllabus and learn more by exploration, research.

Would you send your child to conform to the rhetoric, a mundane, military like system run by a dull methodical system thereby killing/curbing the child's creativity? Or would you like your child to think out of the box, be creative, spontaneous and lively where you would have a living human being and not a zombie?

Aversion to rules

You might have seen many such signs torn, disfigured when they speak of some rule. What amazes me is the universality of the concept. People hate rules. I mean when you get a chance you are ready to break it. Does it need a great restraint to stop breaking them? If yes why don't we have it. Any one can break a rule but it takes a lot of pain to follow them.

I agree that the thrill in breaking a rule is too good, in the short term. I would like to see who is breaking the rule, how would he break it, why, when, how frequent, what is the motivation, how can I make products and services to lure him. On the other hand I would like to do the same with the other one who doesn't break the rule. Applying the concept of sustainability in Business Ethics to this context its advisable to follow the rules and develop a character that makes you adhere as you would be benefited in the long run.

Enough is enough

This is no time to demonstrate gesture. This is the time for me to listen to a leader that shall strongly assure me of what needs to be done and will do it ! This is the time for each citizen of this country to act and behave in a dictated disciplined profile. This is the time for those that lead, to educate us all in a common curriculum bearing a common code of conduct. A code that shall bind us all as one collective strength. If the invader has been psychologically brain washed into believing that what he is doing to us is ordained through divine intervention, then let him face 1.2 billion brains that have been ordained in unison to ‘teach’ him how horribly wrong he is.

For too long we have remained the servile submissive nation. There has been no strong adjective to describe our character. When you meet an Indian abroad and when you ask where he is from he invariably states the State he comes from, not the country. A motorist on a street in Mumbai will willingly open the door of his car and decorate the road with his colorful mucus lined spit. Same motorist in Singapore will not dare to perform similar feat. A cyclist at 2 in the morning on a deserted street in London shall respect the red light at a signal and wait for it to turn green before crossing it. He not only depicts discipline, he reflects the character of his country. Here even in the busiest moments of the day, the red light at a crossing is an indicator to ‘GO’ !!

You know why the Indian Cricket team has had its phenomenal run of successes in recent times ? Its because it has shown character and attitude. Yes, of course it has the talent, but its body language and behavior on the pitch is rattling the opponent. When a Gambhir elbows his response to continuous sledging of the foulest tongue, I like that. It is a fault and it is up for penalization, but I simply loved his statement thereafter, that he ‘did not regret doing it’. When a Harbhajan challenges a Symonds and walks up to exchange words, when Yuvraj back answers his English opponent and follows it up with 6 sixes in one over, it shows character.

--- Big Blog

Thought

I am sure you must have seen this. Drunkards sleeping no where! All the hard earned money going down the drain sipping cheap liquor. What needs to be done. Telling these guys its not right does not work. You need to make them straight. Educate their children and wives. Show them vidoes what happens with too much drinking. Do something that scares these guys and makes them responsible. Something that helps them release the tension and pressure and divert the energy elsewhere, constructively.

What makes normal people behave odd and erratic. Why is everyone getting angry, rude and irresponsible? May be the pressure in your organization is too much. Is you are a manager you need to ensure your team stays healthy and happy. If you are a team member you need to ensure your colleagues and manager feel belonged and happy to come to the workplace. If you are a HR you should know what to do. Happy people produce quality work.. Anger multiplies the errors and frustration leads to sickness.

The 30 second test

Here is a test to see if the person is disciplined or not. It might work for you as well.

Look at all the people standing at the red signal. You will find that some people going bersek and crossing the red light. Now I have a question. Were you taught to wait at th ered signal or not? If yes and you know and still croos it what would I undertand about your discpline? It is understood that none of these prople are the heroes or 007s who have a world to save.

So next time you feel like crossing a signal ask yourself this : Are you mature enough? Grown up? Sane? Disciplined? Trustworthy?