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About this quote

What does it mean?
Honorable actions can accidentally lead to politically beneficial outcomes.
In plain terms
Being honest might help you politically.
What can you take from it?
Honesty can align with good politics.

Where it applies

  • moral decisions
  • political strategy
  • business ethics

Putting it to work

  • prioritize honesty
  • accept unintended benefits

Questions to consider

  • Is honesty always the best policy?

Another view

Sometimes honesty harms political interests.

More from Charles de Gaulle

  1. Character is the virtue of hard times.

    Permalink to quote #24
  2. The leader is always alone before bad fates.

    Permalink to quote #26
  3. It is better to have a bad method than to have none.

    Permalink to quote #23

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