Posts Tagged Punishments and Influence

Discipline and Emotions

On August 27, 2015 / Discipline

Why do you think young people misbehave? When I ask people this question, most say that it’s because the youth don’t know any better, have had poor role models in life, or just because—no reason at all.

The fact is that young people misbehave because it makes them feel good; otherwise, they would not misbehave. People (including youth) don’t voluntarily do things that feel bad.

This is why it’s important to remember that in discipline, persuasion, and influence, emotion takes precedence over cognition. Connect to the youth’s emotion to make discipline effective.

Punishment prompts bad feelings and, therefore, is counterproductive to changing irresponsible behavior in any lasting way.

A more effective approach is to help the young person find a … >>>

Influencing Others about Punishments

On August 26, 2010 / Discipline

How do I counter claims from traditionalists who believe punishment is mandatory? They believe that if a coach does not punish, a coach doesn’t have any discipline.

RESPONSE:

Standards must be kept. However, I focus on the positive and use contingencies—rather than focusing on punishments, which are negative.

As a former athletic director of a large urban high school, here is how I approached it: It is a privilege to be on an athletic team. Membership on a team can be one of the greatest experiences a young person can have.

Second point to students: This is a team endeavor. The team comes first. Therefore, only those things that add to the team’s best interests are allowed.

Here is … >>>