--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tact is rubbing out another's mistake…" description: "\"Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing it in.\" — Leo Buscaglia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png" --- # Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing… ![“Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing it in.” quote by Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png) > “Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing it in.” [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness is shown by correcting others gently rather than humiliating them. **In simple terms:** Correct mistakes kindly, not harshly. Key Takeaway Practice gentle correction. Themes kindness communication empathy Mood compassionate thoughtful Type ethical practical When to use this quote - workplace feedback - parenting - teaching Key Concepts social intelligence conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance honesty with kindness? - When is firmness necessary? A Different Perspective Some may view gentle correction as weak. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Instead Rubbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-rubbing-2197638/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Rubbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbing/) [Rubbing it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbing-it-161245/) [Rubbing Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbing-mistake-2197637/) [Tact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tact/) [Tact Rubbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tact-rubbing-315086/) ## Related quotes > [Tact is rubbing out another's mistakes, not rubbing them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistakes-not-rubbing-them-in/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [You don’t create a diamond by rubbing it with fluffy bunny slippers. You need to apply pressure and heat. There are enough air-headed cheerleaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-ann-dawson/you-don-t-create-a-diamond-by-rubbing-it-with-fluffy-bunny-slippers/) [Julie Ann Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-ann-dawson/) > [Basically Ken is a very gentle, home-loving person. I remember when one of his stick insects had a knee infection. He stayed up all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/basically-ken-is-a-very-gentle-home-loving-person-i-remember-when-one/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I almost had her." Curran nodded. "I heard. And you could've taken her, too." My voice came out flat. "Rub it in, why don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-almost-had-her-curran-nodded-i-heard-and-you-could-ve-taken-her-too/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Nature is a greater and more perfect art, the art of God; though, referred to herself, she is genius; and there is a similarity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nature-is-a-greater-and-more-perfect-art-the-art-of-god-though/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I’m familiar with a lot of guys, hang out with those guys. A couple of my teammates actually went to Florida, so I’m familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-noelle-levesque/i-m-familiar-with-a-lot-of-guys-hang-out-with-those-guys-a-couple-of/) [Joanna Noelle Levesque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-noelle-levesque/) > [As you smell the fragrance of a flower by handing it or the smell of sandalwood by rubbing it against a stone, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarada-devi/as-you-smell-the-fragrance-of-a-flower-by-handing-it-or-the-smell-of/) [Sarada Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarada-devi/) > [“Rubbing a clit to completion and sawing off someone’s foot seemed to use all the same muscles. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/rubbing-a-clit-to-completion-and-sawing-off-someone-s-foot-seemed-to/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [Like, they know that I have a habit of rubbing my earlobes, I've been doing it since I was two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balthazar-getty/like-they-know-that-i-have-a-habit-of-rubbing-my-earlobes-i-ve-been/) [Balthazar Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balthazar-getty/) > [“I try to ignore the fact that I can feel Kieren's hard-on against my ass and that it's perfectly pressing into me. I tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-chilson/i-try-to-ignore-the-fact-that-i-can-feel-kieren-s-hard-on-against-my/) [Erica Chilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-chilson/) > [I sit back on my bed cross-legged and find myself rubbing the smooth iridescent surface of the pearl back and forth against my lips.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-sit-back-on-my-bed-cross-legged-and-find-myself-rubbing-the-smooth/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [When someone makes a joke about cutting and you just sit there rubbing your arm!Be careful with what you say around people, you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-someone-makes-a-joke-about-cutting-and-you-just-sit-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im a hard worker, and everything with me is, if I work hard, I should get paid for it. Everything with me, I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdman/im-a-hard-worker-and-everything-with-me-is-if-i-work-hard-i-should/) [Birdman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdman/) > [“me harder against him, rubbing and grinding us together, and I feel the build up of my orgasm approaching. It's going”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-elvira/me-harder-against-him-rubbing-and-grinding-us-together-and-i-feel-the/) [Justine Elvira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-elvira/) > [“Heal me? You’re trying to heal me by rubbing your…by rubbing against me?” Kat didn’t even try to keep the skepticism out of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-anderson/heal-me-you-re-trying-to-heal-me-by-rubbing-your-by-rubbing-against/) [Evangeline Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-anderson/) ## More by Leo Buscaglia > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-is-a-great-and-wondrous-mystery-and-the-only-thing-we-know-that/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love creates an "us" without destroying the "me".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-creates-an-us-without-destroying-the-me/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love always creates, it never destroys. In this lie's man's only promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-always-creates-it-never-destroys-in-this-lie-s-man-s-only-promise/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-lived-for-tomorrow-will-always-be-just-a-day-away-from-being/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Love revels in and grows in the moment and the joy of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/love-revels-in-and-grows-in-the-moment-and-the-joy-of-the-moment/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [In life and in love, there is only that moment, the NOW. The only reality we know is what we experience this very second.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/in-life-and-in-love-there-is-only-that-moment-the-now-the-only/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Biologically and physiologically, we are not equal. Some of us learn better at different times of day. Some learn best visually, some auditorially, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/biologically-and-physiologically-we-are-not-equal-some-of-us-learn/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [There is nothing wrong with making mistakes and not having all the answers, so long as we are willing to admit this and strive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-making-mistakes-and-not-having-all-the/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Food is celebratory. People who don't cook don't know how much fun they're missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/food-is-celebratory-people-who-don-t-cook-don-t-know-how-much-fun/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Based on a string of bad breakups, I was forced to examine my choice of partners. Surely, that must have abolished me from any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/based-on-a-string-of-bad-breakups-i-was-forced-to-examine-my-choice/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Everybody needs a hug. It changes your metabolism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/everybody-needs-a-hug-it-changes-your-metabolism/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [Hugs make you feel psychologically more secure and together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/hugs-make-you-feel-psychologically-more-secure-and-together/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [I will love you if you are stupid, if you slip and fall on your face, if you do the wrong thing, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/i-will-love-you-if-you-are-stupid-if-you-slip-and-fall-on-your-face/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) [Explore all 258 Leo Buscaglia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing it in.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Buscaglia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-instead-of-rubbing-it-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-instead-of-rubbing-it-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/leo-buscaglia-1308_failure_tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-in_2631965.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tact is rubbing out another's mistake instead of rubbing it in.” — Leo Buscaglia", "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": "Leo Buscaglia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Tact is rubbing out another's mistake...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-instead-of-rubbing-it-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/tact-is-rubbing-out-another-s-mistake-instead-of-rubbing-it-in/#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 } } ] } ```