The D Word

What makes a group of people rise early so as to swim in a lagoon, even though it is drizzling? It would be so easy to stay in bed. Grinding it out on the road, alone, on a bike for three to four hours – it is so easy to just ride into the nearest drive-in, convenience food store to have a hot, hearty breakfast. Running at dusk, with repetitious footsteps pounding on the stiff asphalt – it is so tempting to just sprint down to the nearest pub for happy hours, and chuck down a beer with no regret.

But we didn’t. Now, what gives?

Discipline. Now, that’s a word. Often associated with uniformed groups such as the police and armed forces, discipline is more ubiquitous than we think. It is ingrained in the heart of excellence, for without it chaos may ensue in any profession, busienss or industry.

Discipline is about conformity, uniformity and identity. It is about compliance, not defiance. It involves documenting work processes, as you initiate and sustain work processes that deliver on results. Auditors – those seemingly annoying colleagues – they thrive on the discipline of measurement. Measuring supports the scientific approach. Peter Drucker said: ‘Measure, measure, and measure. What you can measure you can manage!’

Discipline is also about not throwing in the towel. It is about staying steadfast to a sense of purpose. It is about stubbornness (or rebellion) with a cause. It is about demanding the best out of your performance and efforts. As punishing as discipline may sound, the consequence of being ill-disciplined may lead to carelessness, inconsistency, and superficiality. It takes discipline to stick to a plan and schedule. It takes discipline to stay actively in touch with friends on Facebook, Twitter or text messaging.

Discipline is about followership. Sometimes you lead. Sometimes you follow. That is much more to discipline than we think.