But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Galatians 2:11-14
It takes courage to correct a person of influence. Just before Paul is about to correct the Galatians for following the law vs. grace, he shares that he once had to correct the Apostle Peter, the head of the Jerusalem church. Correcting behavior requires finesse and people skills. Correcting, like coaching, is an art form because it requires customization based on the person and circumstance. Confrontation is not comfortable yet is necessary for a leader to grow the organization and those in it to higher performance levels. Whether you are correcting bad behavior, addressing a low-performance issue, or coaching someone in people skills, learning the art of correction is necessary for the success to continue. Here is a simple acronym I use to remind me to care for the person while I am confronting the behavior:
A.C.T.
A: AFFIRM the person by acknowledging their contribution to the organization, the talents/strengths they possess, and why you view them as a valued member of the team.
C: CONFRONT the behavior that needs changing with candor, then set specific expectations moving forward so the other person knows what you EXPECT of them. Do not correct out of anger or frustration. If you successfully deliver the message but damage the person, fixing the problem while creating fear will cause you to forfeit your influence.
T: TRACK progress over time, provide feedback, and reaffirm your confidence in them to correct the behavior and make the turn.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- What has been your experience when someone has corrected you; did you feel condemned or empowered?
- When you have had to bring correction into someone’s life, what was the outcome?
- How is the approach to correcting different when correcting someone who is a peer, a subordinate, or a supervisor?
Bad behavior left unchecked is considered approved by those in the organization.
