carrot and stick
a system in which you are rewarded for some actions and threatened with punishment for others:
Sometimes I just have to resort to the carrot and stick approach with my children.

[TahlilGaran] Advanced Learner's Dictionary ▲

carrot and stick
a carrot and stick (approach)
rewards and punishments that influence someone's behavior.
Our company uses a carrot and stick — more money is the carrot, loss of your job is the stick.

Usage notes: used in different forms to describe different combinations of rewards and punishments:
Management's proposed deal is all stick and no carrot.

The latest round of peace talks offers both sides the carrot as well as the stick.

Etymology: based on the reward of a carrot (= a long orange vegetable) and the punishment of using a stick to encourage a horse to move

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

carrot-and-stick
if you use a carrot-and-stick method to make someone do something, you both offer rewards and threaten punishments.
I've had to take the carrot-and-stick approach to disciplining my kids. The harder they work, the more money they get.
(always before noun)

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

carrot and stick
a reward or a threat of punishment at the same time; the reward for someone if they do what you want or the punishment if they do not do what you want
The trade negotiators took a carrot-and-stick approach to the automobile talks.

The government took a carrot-and-stick approach to remove the people who were protesting against the construction of the dam.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

carrot and stick
n. phr. The promise of reward and threat of punishment, both at the same time.
John's father used the carrot and stick when he talked about his low grades.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲