Discipline vs. Obedience

An Excerpt from The Game Within

Discipline is an internal force which does not require the rigidity of constant direction in the pursuit of a specific goal. Instead, it provides a mind set which can be used in a multitude of situations and allows for an individual to react to changing conditions without the constant directives of an overseeing power. Obedience is a behavior which is a reaction to authoritative commands or an action taken under the threat of consequences for deviance. It is a robotic form of movement which is created and then unilaterally controlled by leadership.

We have all studied math in school. In the beginning, the teaching of math revolves around the basic rules of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. These rules are absolute and form the fundamental basis for all mathematics. As instruction evolves to the level of Algebra, more complex equations require a more diverse application of these fundamental concepts to solve for unknown factors. This is the beginning of mathematical discipline. Adherence to the basic rules of mathematics is a primary element of deciphering equations but it is the ability to apply them in different forms that is necessary for finding the solution. This higher form of mathematics is directly analogous to life; ever changing scenarios with multiple variables which all must be logically reasoned and solved. Many of life’s circumstances give rise to multiple possibilities of action which require a discipline mind to navigate choices and then move to positive results. Conversely those who rely on or who are held to a strict path of preordained obedience will become paralyzed by conflicting choices of response to changing circumstances.

Leaders who rely on obedience as the sole motivator of action from subordinates will only be successful in situations in which they can exert complete control. The actions of those they lead, which are only done with specific direction, will not have the ability to react to change. A leader who asks for discipline from followers is asking for an adherence to a plan of action which is superimposed over an ever changing reality. Those who follow are asked to engage in an activity with a sense of direction which is complimented by individual intelligence and the ability to adapt. As this group, motivate by discipline, moves in and out of different conditions and circumstances they are able to alter actions within the general plan without being directed.

On the morning of June 6,1944 Allied forces began the invasion of German occupied France. The invasion was long anticipated by the German high command and they had fortified the coast with large instillations of concrete bunkers. They waited for the assault on the Normandy coast and soon enough the Allied forces arrived. On the morning of the invasion the beaches became a grotesque killing ground in which Allied soldiers staggered and crawled through death and chaos toward the German defenses. The Germans remained solid, obediently manning their guns and killing the soldiers coming ashore almost at will. The Allied troops which were caught in an unimaginable situation pressed froward with unflinching discipline toward specific goals. As the tide began to turn in favor of the Allies the German forces failed to react or change defensive strategy. One of the main reasons for this inability to adapt to change was the fact that they had not been given the order to reconnoiter. In fact, they had some options that could have changed the outcome of the battle but they were literally afraid to wake up their leader, Adolph Hitler to ask for directions. Hitler woke up at noon and was apprised of the situation. He subsequently gave orders for tank deployment at 4 pm but by then the moment was lost. The Allied troops were now securely on the beaches and had begun to move into France. The Allied forces were driven by discipline which allowed for improvisational action. The Germans Army was built on strict obedience. While the Allies moved the Germans stood still waiting for the order to react that came too late. 

If you are trying to get a group of children to line up or remain silent during instruction obedience is all that is necessary. This is a simple task requiring little thought and needs only prescribed behaviors to be accomplished. Most of life’s decisions are not framed in a value driven order and therefore have the need for intellectual improvisation built into them. It is this fluidity that is all but lost in a culture of strict obedience. If you are a coach, teacher, or manager of people it is personal discipline that you must exhibit and informed discipline you should require from those you lead. Discipline is a state of understanding that fosters a specific sense of purpose in connection to a collective whole. This combination allows for an individual to be able to remain focused on a goal while at the same time being able to react to changing circumstances.  A disciplined person is capable of holding to a plan while adapting to a free-flowing environment; an obedient person stands frozen in the face of changing conditions waiting to be told what to do.