Good Inside frames authority as a safety function, not a dominance function. Parents are supposed to contain danger, set limits, and stay sturdy without humiliating the child who is losing control.
That makes warmth and firmness complementary rather than competitive. A child does not feel safest with the softest adult, but with the adult whose no can coexist with connection.
The principle exposes a common failure mode in ministry and family life: boundaries delivered without love feel scary, while empathy without authority feels abandoning.