--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My dad was a tough man. I think that…" description: "\"My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it mildly. Short on praise, short on communications. Long on leading by example. Lots of integrit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg" --- # My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it… ![“My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it mildly. Short on praise, short on communications. Long on leading by example. Lots of integrity, and lots of passion for things. But he was a tough guy.” quote by Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg) > “My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it mildly. Short on praise, short on communications. Long on leading by example. Lots of integrity, and lots of passion for things. But he was a tough guy.” [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tough father leads by example, showing integrity and passion despite limited praise. **In simple terms:** His strength was shown through actions, not words. Key Takeaway Lead by example, not praise. Themes family leadership integrity Mood thoughtful appreciative Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - Parenting - team management - personal development Key Concepts Role modeling quiet influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor unsung mentors? - What actions speak louder than words? A Different Perspective Quiet leadership may be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Leading By Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-by-example/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Tough man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-man/) ## Related quotes > [My dad - who was a tough guy, a Green Beret - always looked nice and wore these bright Sansabelt pants. He always said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubba-watson/my-dad-who-was-a-tough-guy-a-green-beret-always-looked-nice-and-wore/) [Bubba Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubba-watson/) > [Dad's such a tough guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-bush/dad-s-such-a-tough-guy/) [Neil Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-bush/) > [“Tough men are tough not because they want to be tough, but because they have to be tough. Outgrow the adolescent fawning over being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/tough-men-are-tough-not-because-they-want-to-be-tough-but-because/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I think about my dad and how tough he had it. They treated us a lot better in our minor league system, especially with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-bellinger/i-think-about-my-dad-and-how-tough-he-had-it-they-treated-us-a-lot/) [Cody Bellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-bellinger/) > [If you love your dad, it’s tough when he dies. If you don’t like your dad, it’s tough when he dies. Because you lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-iovine/if-you-love-your-dad-it-s-tough-when-he-dies-if-you-don-t-like-your/) [Jimmy Iovine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-iovine/) > [Dad was a tough cookie. He expected a lot from people when they were employed to do a job. If they don't do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-boorman/dad-was-a-tough-cookie-he-expected-a-lot-from-people-when-they-were/) [Charley Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-boorman/) > [I'm a very tough dad. I mean, I'm a fun dad, but I'm a tough dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-m-a-very-tough-dad-i-mean-i-m-a-fun-dad-but-i-m-a-tough-dad/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [My father wasn't a cruel man. And I loved him. But he was a pretty tough character. His own father was even tougher -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/my-father-wasn-t-a-cruel-man-and-i-loved-him-but-he-was-a-pretty/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [It's all about leading by example. Am I going to be perfect? Absolutely not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-williams/it-s-all-about-leading-by-example-am-i-going-to-be-perfect-absolutely/) [Mo Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-williams/) > [She has given us tons of advice, all of our lives, and has inspired us just by leading by example. Kimora is a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-simmons/she-has-given-us-tons-of-advice-all-of-our-lives-and-has-inspired-us/) [Vanessa Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-simmons/) > [I would say that my role model, as far as just somebody leading by example, which to me is what a great youth counselor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-would-say-that-my-role-model-as-far-as-just-somebody-leading-by/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [“Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or whether it's positive or negative, you are influencing those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/each-day-you-are-leading-by-example-whether-you-realize-it-or-not-or/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) > [Leadership is leading by example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gianforte/leadership-is-leading-by-example/) [Greg Gianforte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gianforte/) > [“she’s too quiet about it.” “Isn’t that the point of leading by example?” Kat frowned at her ball of yarn, more of a tangled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/she-s-too-quiet-about-it-isn-t-that-the-point-of-leading-by-example/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) ## More by Brian France > [Things are pretty good for NASCAR with our TV agreements behind us and so forth. For us it's focusing on putting the best events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/things-are-pretty-good-for-nascar-with-our-tv-agreements-behind-us/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [Oh, I get nervous quite a bit, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/oh-i-get-nervous-quite-a-bit-actually/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [If you look back at our history, we always tend to see drivers in waves move in one direction so it's not uncommon to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/if-you-look-back-at-our-history-we-always-tend-to-see-drivers-in/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [In sport and business, everybody has to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/in-sport-and-business-everybody-has-to-win/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [We decided a number of years ago we could do a better job at diversity. It was going to be one of the growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/we-decided-a-number-of-years-ago-we-could-do-a-better-job-at/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [Lots of things can happen when there's really hard racing and contact going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/lots-of-things-can-happen-when-there-s-really-hard-racing-and-contact/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [If it's commercial and it makes sense we'll be doing it - whatever it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/if-it-s-commercial-and-it-makes-sense-we-ll-be-doing-it-whatever-it-is/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [I use Amy as a major sounding board for a lot of things that come up, and she understands the family dynamic and business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/i-use-amy-as-a-major-sounding-board-for-a-lot-of-things-that-come-up/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [I'm deeply involved in making the race closer and tighter and safer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/i-m-deeply-involved-in-making-the-race-closer-and-tighter-and-safer/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [I have said I will not have a 30-year run like my father for a variety of reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/i-have-said-i-will-not-have-a-30-year-run-like-my-father-for-a/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [Boy, do I dislike two things: One is having to deal with penalties or infractions even though we have to. We have to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/boy-do-i-dislike-two-things-one-is-having-to-deal-with-penalties-or/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [If you look at any league, they're all trying to figure out how to make the game more exciting, speed the game up, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/if-you-look-at-any-league-they-re-all-trying-to-figure-out-how-to/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [Every sport has different cycles where it's better than it was or less than it should be, whatever it is, that will work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/every-sport-has-different-cycles-where-it-s-better-than-it-was-or/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [We went for 50-something years and never had a system to fine anybody for disparaging remarks in the sport. We're the only sport on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/we-went-for-50-something-years-and-never-had-a-system-to-fine-anybody/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) > [I really like the idea of fans being able to curate their entire digital experience at live events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/i-really-like-the-idea-of-fans-being-able-to-curate-their-entire/) [Brian France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) [Explore all 100 Brian France quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it mildly. Short on praise, short on communications. Long on leading by example. Lots of integrity, and lots of passion for things. But he was a tough guy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian France" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-would-be-putting-it-mildly-short/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-would-be-putting-it-mildly-short/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/brian-france-5924_communication_my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-woul_2838263.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My dad was a tough man. I think that would be putting it mildly. Short on praise, short on communications…” — Brian France", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brian France", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-france/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My dad was a tough man....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-would-be-putting-it-mildly-short/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-france/my-dad-was-a-tough-man-i-think-that-would-be-putting-it-mildly-short/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```