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About this quote

What does it mean?
Respectability does not exempt anyone from human error or make mistakes acceptable.
In plain terms
Even respected people make mistakes, and those mistakes are not automatically okay.
What can you take from it?
Do not assume status makes errors harmless.

Where it applies

  • workplace feedback
  • leadership evaluation
  • social judgment

Putting it to work

  • separate person from error
  • evaluate mistakes fairly

Questions to consider

  • How do we judge errors by different people?
  • Does status change what we forgive?

Another view

Some argue high status should carry higher standards.

More from Robert G. Ingersoll

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