I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.
Haim GinottRead
If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Treating people with respect and recognizing their potential helps them to improve and grow.
This quote emphasizes the importance of viewing people not just as they are, but as they have the potential to be. By treating individuals with the respect they deserve and believing in their capabilities, we inspire them to achieve their full potential rather than limiting them by their current behavior or circumstances.
Themes
PotentialGrowthRespectEncouragementRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to uplift a team, one might use this quote to encourage them to see the strengths in each other.
More from Haim Ginott
All quotes →Misbehavior and punishment are not opposites that cancel each other - on the contrary they breed and reinforce each other.
Haim GinottRead
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