Management Clinic - Employee procedures: Off the leash

An employee has completed a deal for a partnership with another company without consulting the relevant internal parties or gaining my permission as the managing director. How should I go about disciplining the employee in question, keeping in mind the success the partnership has generated?

Although this breach of company rules has proved advantageous for your business, you are right in your decision to proceed with some level of disciplinary action against this member of staff. An unacknowledged breach of the rules might lead to a repeat performance and the next time might not be so beneficial for your company.

You need to clarify that the employee knew that their actions would constitute a breach of procedure because punishment of an offence when the employee did not know the