Bryant McGill Quotes on Communication

16 quotes

6. Poetry: 'Poetry can bridge that gap between what is solid and what is suggested; poetry can pull cogent meaning from the vaporous illusions of the esoteric.'

17. Listening: 'It has been my experience that if we make the effort to listen to people when we meet them, and work to get to know them a little, it is then easy to find something likeable in practically anyone.'

19. Understanding: 'I would like to build bridges to greater understanding and empathy. It is not that I believe there is no evil in the world; for there surely is, and it must be dealt with. I do, however, believe there is an appalling lack of understanding, communication and concession between individuals and groups.'

35. Manners: 'Courteousness is consideration for others; politeness is the method used to deliver such considerations.'

41. Intention: 'A single lie can forever destroy your reputation, a single truth the reputation of another. Not all truths should be spoken, not all lies reviled. Intention is often more important than truth, for truth is regularly a device of choice by those of ill intent.'

44. Manners: 'Callousness and insolence bring to bare unanimous social condemnation, while the simple efforts of politeness are admired; even in those who are otherwise despised.'

51. Discussion: 'Try to keep your mind open to new ideas and never let offense stand in the way of discourse, for discourse and the exchange of ideas is the only motion by which the chaff is separated from the wheat in the world of ideas.'

52. Words: 'Words are the tools that verbally enable our thoughts. If a person cannot communicate his ideas effectively to others because of a weakness in language, then how may he understand the concepts of others fully? Moreover, how may one conceive and understand one's own creative thoughts? How can you bring to fruition that which you cannot convert from the abstract?'

53. Rudeness: 'A mistake made by many people with great convictions is that they will let nothing stand in the way of their views, not even kindness.'

60. Emotions: 'Comfort in expressing your emotions will allow you to share the best of yourself with others, but not being able to control your emotions will reveal your worst.'

87. Tact: 'People can be divided from their ignorance more easily by gentle strikes on a wedge than with blunt hammering at their toughest seams. Sometimes the best use of intelligence is to simply not let others know your thoughts.'

89. Listening: 'One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.'

114. Reputation: 'Unfortunately, your reputation often rests not on your ability to do what you say, but rather on your ability to do what people expect.'

126. Prudence: 'Speak rarely, but then speak carefully. Speak with great calculation and discretion before your rivals and with great nobility of manner before friends. The opportunity to make your thoughts known arise with every social gathering, but the ability to conceal them once liberated never comes.'

127. Language: 'Language is vastly important to nearly all human progression. Language is a factor that joins nations of people together. It is a common denominator among civilizations of people where in some cases there may be few others but hate. Though through language there may be division, without its powers there would be only division. If a person cannot communicate his ideas effectively to others because of a weakness in language, then how may they understand the concepts of others fully? And even more important, how may one conceive and understand one's own creative thoughts? How can you bring to fruition that which you cannot convert from the abstract?'

131. Prudence: 'He who is silent must be agreed with, for what shall the wings of opposition thresh upon, without the winds of conversation to shoulder them.'

All Bryant McGill quotes