There are many ways to get people to do what you want . You can threaten them with punishment . You can also entice others with a reward . In other words , they will get something in return for some effort or service . Naturally , you can also just ask nicely . But for now , we will talk about threatening and enticing – two effective , but different methods of persuasion . First , let's talk about these important words . When we persuade someone , we try to make them do something . We can entice them or offer them something very desirable . We can also make threats or promise harm . Sometimes we do both . One way of saying this is what we call “the carrot-and-stick approach .” You can say it is a method of persuasion that involves both a reward and punishment . When given a choice , most people will surely take the carrot , a popular vegetable , instead of the stick , which could hurt . For example , let's say a company has a carrot-and-stick approach to vacation days . They entice people to work hard by giving lots of time for paid vacations . (That is the carrot .) But they also threaten to take away those hours if employees refuse to work hard . (That is the punishment , or stick . When we say “stick ” we don't mean giving a stick . We mean hitting with a stick !) This kind of system may work well for some workers but not for others . It depends on what motivates you . Do you like your work ? In addition to getting paid , what satisfaction do you get from the job ? Or are you only working for a paycheck ? When using the carrot-and-stick method , it is also important to carefully consider the reward and punishment . If you do not want the carrot , you are not going to be motivated to do the work . Also , if the punishment is meaningless to you , it will not motivate you either . Many word historians say the origin of the expression carrot-and-stick approach is unclear . But some say it comes from the custom of urging a donkey to move forward by hanging a carrot in front of it . If it refuses to move , the caretaker might decide to hit the animal with a stick . Here is another example . The parents tried using a carrot-and-stick approach with their teenage daughter . When it comes to learning English , a carrot-and-stick approach is not a good motivational tool . And we promise not to punish you…nor would we want to . So , I think the only thing we are giving out here is carrots !