Your "superiors" need to get results out of you. They will employ whatever methods work and typically the ones that are easiest. Understand what motivates them.
I'm not going to lie, I am a bit guilty about this one. But I've been working hard at trying to make sure that my employees are treated fairly and with respect. I have a policy where any employee can come to me if they feel like they are being mistreated or discriminated against. I try to listen to their concerns and address them as best I can. In fact, I even go out of my way to do what I can to help them succeed.