Approach Quote by Idries Shah
“Exercise power by means of kindness, and you may be causing more damage than you could by cruelty. Neither approach is correct.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, 1968
Kindness can unintentionally cause harm, just as cruelty does, so neither extreme is truly effective.
In simple terms: Both kindness and cruelty can backfire.
Balance actions wisely.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- management
- parenting
- politics
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When does kindness become harmful?
- How to measure the impact of compassionate actions?
Good intentions may be misinterpreted.