Carrot and stick

Carrot and stick is a way of getting people (or animals) to do things. A carrot is a reward like a treat or a toy. A stick is a punishment like making people do extra work or taking something away. People or animals will work harder and better if they know there's a reward like the carrot. They may not work as hard if there is a punishment like the stick. So carrot and stick are two different ways to get someone to do something.