HOT-STOVE RULE

This principle was given by Douglas McGregor. The central idea of the principle is that the employee discipline can be maintained by punishing employees for breach of discipline in manner similar to touching a hot stove and therefore a disciplinary action should have  the following consequences:

(a) Burns Immediately: If disciplinary action must be taken  immediately so the individual will understand the reason for it. As with the hot stove when we touch it, our hand burns immediately. 

(b) Provides Prior Warning: It is very important to provide advance warning that punishment will follow an act of indiscipline. 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: If you touch the hot stove, you get burned no matter how many times you touch it. Therefore, indiscipline should be punished every time.

(d) Burns Impersonally: Disciplinary action should be impersonal. There are no favourites when this approach is followed. As with hot stove when we touch it, it burns everyone's hand without any bias.

It is an effective approach of imposing discipline because it is rational and impartial.