--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be tall and forbidding might command…" description: "\"“To be tall and forbidding might command respect for a time, but not affection. To be overly familiar might command affection for a time, but not respe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jon-meacham-2863_love_to-be-tall-and-forbidding-might-command_1301735.png" --- # To be tall and forbidding might command respect for a… ![“To be tall and forbidding might command respect for a time, but not affection. To be overly familiar might command affection for a time, but not respect.” quote by Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jon-meacham-2863_love_to-be-tall-and-forbidding-might-command_1301735.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jon-meacham-2863_love_to-be-tall-and-forbidding-might-command_1301735.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jon-meacham-2863_love_to-be-tall-and-forbidding-might-command_1301735.png) > ““To be tall and forbidding might command respect for a time, but not affection. To be overly familiar might command affection for a time, but not respect.”” [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority can earn temporary respect or affection, but lasting influence requires both. **In simple terms:** Respect and affection need balance. Key Takeaway Balance authority with warmth. Themes leadership respect affection Mood thoughtful balanced Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - management - parenting - politics - team building Key Concepts power dynamics emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you earn respect without intimidation? - When does familiarity become disrespect? A Different Perspective Too much authority can alienate; too much familiarity can erode credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection Overly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-overly-4276888/) [Command Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command-affection-4276887/) [Command Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command-respect-1409530/) [Forbidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidding-1048732/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Tall Forbidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall-forbidding-4276886/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Any society that starts forbidding certain words or expressions is a society you should be wary about, whether it's the KGB or social consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/any-society-that-starts-forbidding-certain-words-or-expressions-is-a/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [Pretty much all law consists in forbidding men to do something that they want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/pretty-much-all-law-consists-in-forbidding-men-to-do-something-that/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Net neutrality is the principle forbidding huge telecommunications companies from treating users, websites, or apps differently - say, by letting some work better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/net-neutrality-is-the-principle-forbidding-huge-telecommunications/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [The good thing about forbidding the death penalty is that society won't be able to kill people who are not guilty, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/the-good-thing-about-forbidding-the-death-penalty-is-that-society-won/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [My dad was quite a forbidding figure. 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Not phonies, zeros or bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/our-offices-must-always-be-headed-by-the-kind-of-men-who-command/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/let-every-man-make-known-what-kind-of-government-would-command-his/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Jon Meacham > [Scripture is not inerrant; believers are called to interpret biblical texts in light of tradition and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/scripture-is-not-inerrant-believers-are-called-to-interpret-biblical/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [We are now living in a post-Roosevelt, post-Reagan universe. 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