Ms Dalziel, of Christchurch, said the hardest challenge for New Zealanders was to teach their children important skills for their future, in order for young leaders to develop.
"Monsters aren't born. We grow them," she said.
Ms Dalziel was a guest speaker at a youth leadership seminar comprising about 20 secondary school-aged teenagers from throughout Central Otago, which was organised by the New Zealand Leadership Institute's Excelerator Future Leaders Programme.
Ms Dalziel spoke to the group and answered questions from youth and Excelerator members.
Anti-smacking legislation was a hot topic from the group, with many voicing their opposition.
Ms Dalziel said people should not subscribe to the media's portrayal of the law and focus instead on the reason it was changed.
"How many people have been charged with smacking their children since the legislation was changed? None.
"People want to hold on to the one thing they thing they can use to discipline their children and don't know what to do if that is deemed inappropriate.
"As a society the most important thing we can do is teach parents different strategies for dealing with their children," she said.
Seminar participants also talked about the mixed messages youth received from the community, media, and people around them.
Workshops about women in leadership roles as well as sports leadership were held in the afternoon.
