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Where Has Tactfulness Gone?
Sometimes it’s better to say nothing at all, but when you express yourself being tactful matters.
Being tactful is not that difficult. And yet it amazes me how often people will say and do things that are completely lacking in politeness.
I am all for telling it like it is and helping people to see mistakes, bad plans, and errors in their ways. But there is no rhyme nor reason to not be tactful about it.
Somehow people often equate tactfulness with half-assing and not telling the full truth. But that’s not at all what being tactful is. Having tact is the difference between helping a person constructively and putting them on the defensive.
Why does this concept seem so hard to grasp for people? Probably because there are some seriously tactless people in positions of authority as present examples.
Tact is a matter of good manners
Being tactful is as important as saying “please” and “thank you” and any other expression of good manners.
Yet this still seems to challenge numerous people. They “tell it like it is” and are “blunt” with people. You can still be honest and blunt with people while being tactful.
Tact is not just the words you use, it’s the approach you take and the time and place where you…
