The Red Hot Stove Rule

However well you handle discipline it remains an unpleasant task that often causes resentment. The challenge to the supervisor is to apply the necessary disciplinary action so that it minimizes damage to individuals and to the manager himself.

Without the continual support of the subordinates, no manager can get things done. But, disciplinary action against a delinquent employee is painful and generates resentment on his part. Hence, a question arises as to how to impose discipline without generating resentment? This is possible through what Douglas McGregor called the “Red Hot Stove Rule”, which draws an analogy between touching a hot stove and undergoing discipline.

A really effective way to incorporate all the rules that are described above is to adopt the hot stove rule. When you touch a hot stove, the reaction is immediate, with warning, consistent, and impersonal.

According to the Red Hot Stove rule, disciplinary action should have the following consequences:

(a) Burns immediately: If disciplinary action is to be taken, it must occur immediately so the individual will understand the reason for it. With the passage of time, people have the tendency to convince themselves that they are not at fault.

(b) Provides warning: It is very important to provide advance warning that punishment will follow unacceptable behavior. As you move closer to hot stove, you are warned by its heat that you will be burned if you touch it.

(c) Gives consistent punishment: Disciplinary action should also be consistent in that everyone who performs the same act will be punished accordingly. As with a hot stove, each person who touches it is burned the same.

(d) Burns impersonally: Disciplinary action should be impersonal. There are no favorites when this approach is followed.

The result is consistent; whoever touches a hot stove will always get burned

The result is impersonal because whoever touches a hot stove is burned. The burn was caused by the act of touching the stove, not because of who the person is. Discipline should be directed against the act and not against the person.

The comparison between the "hot stove rule" and disciplinary action is obvious.