A Developed theme on.....“TACT”.
By Dennis A. Dunne
(First sent out Nov 2, 2001, and now added to)
Contents:
1- Tact defined
2- Publication articles and references on the subject
3- How do you spell Tact?
4- "Tact is..." (18 ways to describe it)
5- Humorous examples of speaking with tact.
a- The tactful English
b- Consider others feelings
c- The pumpkin pie
d- Some men have tact
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DEFINITION:
Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with
others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.
These nouns denote the ability to deal with others with skill,
sensitivity, and finesse. Tact implies propriety and the ability to
speak or act inoffensively. The ability to say and do the right thing
at the right time : address, diplomacy, savoir-faire, tactfulness.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WT PUBLICATION REFERENCES:
*** w03 8/1 p. 29 Learning the Art of Being Tactful ***
*** be study 33 p. 197 Tactful yet Firm ***
*** w70 7/15 446 Kindness and Tact-What They Can Accomplish ***
*** w68 7/15 423 The Rewards of Tact and Fearlessness ***
*** km 1/87 8 Presenting the Good News-In a Tactful Way ***
2 Tact involves knowing what to do or say to maintain good relations
with others and to avoid giving offense
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** w54 7/15 419 Watch Your Strength! ***
Some are naturally candid, frank and outspoken, which only commends
them. But they must guard against becoming tactless, blunt and cutting.
Others are very tactful, know where to draw the line. If we become over
tactful we may become vague and evasive, watering down Jehovah's
message until it loses its point.
(or said another way):
When A Strength Can Become A Weakness
*A person who calls himself frank and candid can very easily find
himself becoming tactless and cruel.
*A person who prides himself on being tactful can find eventually that
he has become evasive and deceitful.
*A person with firm convictions can become pigheaded.
*A person who is inclined to be temperate and judicious can sometimes
turn into someone with weak convictions and banked fires of
resolution.
*Caution can become timidity.
*Confidence can become arrogance.
*Humility becomes servility.
*All these are ways in which strength can become weakness.
T o
A void
C ausing
T rouble
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TACT IS:
* the ability to hold your tongue until it's under control.
* the act of making a point without making an enemy
* the ability to close your mouth before somebody else wants to.
* getting your point across without stabbing someone with it.
* the ability to make a person see lightning without
letting him feel the bolt. (Battista)
* the art of making guests feel at home when that's really where
you wish they were.
* putting it nicely, but not quite precisely. - (Norma Becket)
* It is tact that is golden, not silence.. (Butle)
* the unsaid part of what you think.
* knowing how far to go too far.
* the ability to describe others as they see themselves. (Lincoln)
* what you thought but didn't say.
* when somebody tells you to "go jump off a cliff" and makes you look
forward to the journey.
* treating everybody as if they knew what they were talking about when
they don't.
* the art of telling somebody he's open minded when he just has a hole
in his head.
* changing the subject without changing your mind.
* stepping on someone's toes without ruining their shoeshine
* taking the stinger out of a bee without getting stung
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you face a delicate situation, don't go into it
wearing your spurs or you'll rip it apart.
Instead, dress for the occasion.
Cloak yourself in diplomacy (tact).
Some of the most tactful people on Earth are English.
One office supervisor called a secretary in to give her the bad news
that she was being fired.
He started the conversation with:
"Miss Symthe, I really don't know how we're going to get
along without you, but starting Monday, we're going to try."
Consider the Other Person's Feelings
When pointing out a mistake by another person, always consider the
person's feelings.
Milton Berle was dining with his wife, Ruth, in a Hollywood restaurant,
when a waiter put too much pepper on her salad.
Mrs. Berle tasted it and said, "Hmm. Needs more salad."
**************************************************************************
Some neighbors of my grandparents gave them a pumpkin pie as a gift. As
lovely as the gesture was, it was clear from the first bite that the pie
tasted bad. It was so inedible that my grandmother had to throw it away.
Ever gracious and tactful, my grandmother still felt obliged to send the
neighbors a note. It read, "Thank you very much for the pumpkin pie.
Something like that doesn't last very long in our house."
Some men have tact. . . .
Said the bride-groom who didn't wish to either offend
his bride or die of internal disturbance:
"My dear, this bread looks delicious, but it is the first
you have ever made. I cannot think of eating it, but will
preserve it to show to our children in after years as a sample
of their mother's skill and deftness."
- The Modoc Independent, Alturas, Calif.., Jan 15, 1885.
<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>-<*>
Dennis A. Dunne
(ô¿ô)
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Posted: 8/19/04