A famous basketball player had harsh things to say about another famous person. He said these things to television reporters with cameras recording. There is no evidence he addressed his concerns with the other famous person. This is a famously bad way to win friends and influence people. 

The next time you want to address someone else’s bad behavior, focus on doing it in such a manner that the other person walks away strengthened, encouraged, and comforted. 

If you cannot address someone else’s bad behavior in this manner, strongly consider that you are also behaving badly and require a rebuke.

Bad form is bad form regardless of motive or purpose. 

We live in a day where people love putting others in their place. This is one of the singularly most ineffective and unhelpful things we can do. It is more like lighting a string of firecrackers than popping only one. It is noisy, messy, and irritating. It is also completely unhelpful. 

We build better people, better homes, better businesses, and better ministries when we focus less on behavior and more on character development. The next time you need to address problematic performance, slow down your heart and mind so that you can find a way to do so in a manner that strengthens, encourages, and comforts.

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I will address others in a manner that strengthens, encourages, and comforts.

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