Delight before you Discipline: A Leadership lesson for parents and bosses

Proverbs 3:11–12

My son do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in.

AS PARENT

There are many times a parent will have to discipline their kids. When you discipline your kids you want them to know that you are a parent who loves them and delights in them. This was they know the correction comes from a heart of love. If you are always in discipline mode (criticism, time outs…) they will not think of you as a loving parent and any discipline will not take hold. You must delight in your kids first. This simply means spend time with them in fun…vacations, building forts, tea parties, legos, hide and seek, hikes, having a catch, etc… Your kids must know above all things that you love them. And when the time comes to correct an action or behavior they will know the correction comes from a heart of love. And this is how you bring up a child in the way they should go.

AS BOSS

There will be times you will have to correct a staff member as well. The same principle applies. For corrective action to occur they must know you care for and love them. You must delight in them first…take them our for meals, encourage them, gifts are always nice, birthday cards, etc… If you are in discipline mode more than you are in delight mode you are building a contentious culture and correction is unlikely to take place.