Never promise more than you can perform.
Publilius SyrusRead
Reprove your friends in secret, praise them openly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Criticism should be private, while compliments should be public.
This quote emphasizes the importance of how we communicate with our friends. It suggests that when addressing a friend's shortcomings, it is more respectful and constructive to do so privately, preserving their dignity and trust, while praise should be shared openly to encourage and uplift them in front of others. This approach helps maintain healthy relationships by balancing honesty and support.
Themes
FriendshipPraiseReproveCommunicationTrust
In practice
Example use cases
A leader might use this quote during a team meeting to explain how to provide feedback to coworkers.
More from Publilius Syrus
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