Kids, dogs, and direct-reports.

They’re all the same.

Talk to them as kids, dogs, and direct-reports, and they’ll act like kids, dogs, and direct-reports.

Talk to them as adults, humans or professionals, however, and they’ll act like adults, humans and professionals.

Sure, you can’t mention sex or going on vacation or confidential information to your kid, dog and direct-report, respectively.

But for the most part, if you act as-if (they are), so will they.