How do I address poor performance or difficult behavior in a way that is both truthful and loving as a Christian leader? This is Lead in 10. I'm Chris Moore. This might be one of the most uncomfortable parts of leadership. It is for me. Correcting someone that you care about. Maybe it's a team member who keeps dropping the ball, or someone whose attitude is slowly poisoning your culture. Maybe it's not what they're doing, maybe it's just how they're doing it. You don't want to embarrass them. You don't want to come across as harsh. But you also know if you don't say something, nothing's gonna change. So how do you correct in a way that doesn't crush someone's spirit? How do you speak the truth? Without losing the relationship. Let's look back to scripture for guidance in Ephesians chapter four, verse 15, Paul says this, but speak the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head. Even Christ, truth and love are not to opposing choices. They're meant to walk together so that people. Can grow as in Galatians six verse one. Paul gives this wisdom, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye, which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Did you catch that? We're not called to expose. We're called to restore, and that's what we need to think about first. How do we do that? If we do it in the spirit of meekness and with humility, with care and awareness, that we could easily fall into the exact same trap. Finally, there's a verse in Proverbs chapter 15, verse 23. It reminds us of this, a word spoken in due season. How good is it the right word? At the right time in the right tone. It could change everything. So let's walk through four steps for correcting someone with truth and love and not compromising either. Step number one, check your motive and your mindset. Before you say a word, ask yourself, am I correcting to restore? Am I doing this to restore someone or am I about just to release my frustration correction that's rooted in anger. It usually causes damage, correction rooted in love that can produce growth. If you are annoyed, this is time for you to pause. If you hurt, you need to take it to God first. Don't lead from offense, lead from the spirit, and that's God's spirit, not the spirit that may be in an uproar inside of you. Galatians chapter six verse one calls this the spirit of meekness. It's strength, but it's strength under control. It's leadership that speaks with grace, not just authority. Step two, be clear, not cruel. One of the biggest mistakes Christian leaders make is vagueness in the name of kindness. We say things like, Hey, just something to be aware of. You know, I've noticed a few things, or maybe you could think about changing this, but here's the problem. Unclear correction doesn't help people grow. You're not doing them a favor by being vague. Instead, say something like this. I want to talk about something I've observed that's affecting our team, and I bring it to you because I care about your growth. Or you may even say, because I know that you care about our performance as a whole. Name the issue, describe the behavior and explain the impact that it's having. Then pause. Let them process it. Don't talk on through it. Don't fill in the uncomfortable silence after this. You need to listen more than you speak. And then step three, invite them into the process of change. You are not the expert on their experience. They are. You don't know what's going on inside their mind, why they made certain decisions, so ask questions like, how do you see this situation? What do you think needs to shift? And is there something going on that I'm not seeing? That posture invites trust. It turns the conversation into a collaboration. At this point, you're not just pointing out problems, you are partnering in their development. You're partnering in a solution, and then together you can define a path forward. You have not only given them correction, but you've also given them a little power into the first step of how to make those corrections. What does success look like? What kind of support will help, and what's the timeline for improvement? You see how powerful it turns this uncomfortable conversation into one a restoration step number four, you need to affirm the person, not the pattern. Even if this conversation is hard, you can still affirm their value. Believe me, everyone has value. If you can't see it, you may be speaking from your frustration. But say this, look, I believe in your potential. You matter to this team. You matter to us. You matter to me. This isn't about punishment, but it is about growth. That kinda leadership doesn't just correct behavior, it builds trust. It puts you in the mentoring position of the individual, and that's what leadership should be all about. Because here's the thing, most people don't get better when they're afraid or because they're afraid they get better because they feel safe, they feel supported, they feel like they are being led. Truth and love creates that safety. And that relationship that allows you to help them make that change. But let me give you two traps to avoid. Trap. Number one, avoiding correction, because you don't want to be mean. Look, avoidance is not kindness. It's neglect. People can get further and further into their problems. Bad habits can become permanent. The way that we react to situations, we can either learn to grow and change, or we can become set in our ways. If you don't speak up, the issue continues, but also so does the damage. Truthful feedback is not optional for leaders. It's essential. It's a skill you've got to develop. And there's a second trap, trap. Number two, correcting with pride instead of humility. If you come in condescending, superior, self-righteous, like you are the king of this situation, you will do what I say. They're not gonna hear words you say, they're gonna shut down, they're gonna defend. They're definitely gonna disconnect. You need to lead with humility. Speak from your own need for grace, and keep the tone relational. Here's your reflection question for the day. Is there a conversation I've been avoiding that God may be calling me to have with love and with clarity? And here's your challenge. I want you to write down the issue you need to address, and then in another column, maybe write the truth. And in a third, write how you can wrap this in love. Take the time to breathe. Don't do it out of anger. Don't get yourself worked up. Pray about it. Prepare your heart. Speak with courage. And remember, your goal is to lead like Jesus. This is leading 10. I'm Chris Moore. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me today. If this episode helped you lead with more grace and truth, please take a moment to like and subscribe. But most of all, share this message with someone who needs it. Review it, activate it in your own life, and I'll see you next time.