Quotes About Tact

Being discreet has never been your strong suit.

Lots of things are true. Doesn't mean you can go round saying them

Lots of things are true. Doesn't mean you have to go around saying them.

Kind of like saying 'no offense' when you've just said something offensive?

Discretion is a synonym for intelligence.

Avoid talking often and excessively about your accomplishments and dangers, for however much you enjoy recounting your dangers, it's not so pleasant for others to hear about your affairs.

Walking on eggshells is what stupid people call the effort required not to offend someone. For smart people, not offending takes no effort.

I meant no offense." "Yet you offend so well.

Charientism (n.) A rhetorical term to describe saying a disagreeable thing in an agreeable way. If I knew how to say disagreeable things in an agreeable fashion I most likely would not be spending most of my time siting alone in a room, reading the dictionary.

Bonnard," I said to myself, "thou knowest how to decipher old texts; but thou dost not know how to read in the Book of Life. That giddy little Madame Trepof, whom thou once believed to possess no more soul than a bird, has expended, in pure gratitude, more zeal and finer tact than thou didst ever show for anybody's sake. Right royally hath she repaid thee for the log-fire of her churching-day!

Oh no, I would never presume to give anyone advice, I would not be so bold.

You won't ever hear me talk about whether my wife's prettier than your wife.

It would be bad form for me to describe people I don't know and don't understand.

I don't need to air any differences of opinion in public.

ACTION PLAN 1. Monitor your tone of voice. 2. State your positive intent. 3. Tactfully interrupt interruptions. 4. Tell your truth. 5. Be ready to listen.

Those are things people say, Tyler. Talking about multilateralism and diplomacy is like saying 'I love you'—it serves to facilitate the fucking.

You must be particularly careful to never make people feel stupid in your presence.

Follow David's example: say or do something that can be read in more than one way, that may be superficially polite but that could also indicate a slight coolness on your part or be seen as a subtle insult. A friend may wonder but will let it pass. The secret enemy, though, will react with anger.

Perfect economy, then, does not mean hoarding your resources. That is not economy but stinginess—deadly in war. Perfect economy means finding a golden mean, a level at which your blows count but do not wear you out.

Place your iron hand inside a velvet glove.

Napoleón: cubrir tu mano de hierro con un guante de terciopelo.

Diplomacy is the delicate weapon of the civilized warrior.- Hun, A. T.

It must be admitted frankly that Aunt Becky was not particularly beloved by her clan. She was too fond of telling them what she called the plain truth. And, as Uncle Pippin said, while the truth was all right, in its place , there was no sense in pouring out great gobs of it around where it wasn't wanted. To Aunt Becky, however, tact and diplomacy and discretion, never to mention any consideration for any one's feelings, were things unknown.

It might be a nice world if nobody ever said a disagreeable thing, but it would be a dangerous one