--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we are communicates far more…" description: "\"What we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do. There are people we trust because we know their character. Whether they're elo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/stephen-covey-339_character_what-we-are-communicates-far-more-eloque_1873711.png" --- # What we are communicates far more eloquently than anything… ![“What we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do. There are people we trust because we know their character. Whether they're eloquent or not, whether they have human-relations techniques or not, we trust them and work with them.” quote by Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/stephen-covey-339_character_what-we-are-communicates-far-more-eloque_1873711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/stephen-covey-339_character_what-we-are-communicates-far-more-eloque_1873711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/stephen-covey-339_character_what-we-are-communicates-far-more-eloque_1873711.png) > “What we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do. There are people we trust because we know their character. Whether they're eloquent or not, whether they have human-relations techniques or not, we trust them and work with them.” [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trust is built on consistent character and actions, not on eloquent speech or techniques. **In simple terms:** Trust comes from character, not words. Key Takeaway Judge people by their deeds. Themes trust character relationships Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team building - leadership - customer service - collaboration Key Concepts integrity reliability social capital Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify someone's character? - What actions reinforce trust in your team? A Different Perspective Charisma alone cannot sustain trust without integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Eloquent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-eloquent-2601537/) [Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Eloquent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquent/) [Eloquent Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquent-human-2601536/) [Human relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-relations/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Know Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-character/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-trust/) [Relation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relation/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [When the trust is high, you get the trust dividend. Investors invest in brands people trust. Consumers buy more from companies they trust, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/when-the-trust-is-high-you-get-the-trust-dividend-investors-invest-in/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-most-important-ingredient-we-put-into-any-relationship-is-not-3/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I try not to divide plot and character. I get to know a character by what they want and fear and how those internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-try-not-to-divide-plot-and-character-i-get-to-know-a-character-by/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Great actors can transform, but sometimes there's just this person who speaks right to the role. When they walk in the room, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/great-actors-can-transform-but-sometimes-there-s-just-this-person-who/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [When I'm not working, I don't get my hair cut. I don't know what the next character looks like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-spader/when-i-m-not-working-i-don-t-get-my-hair-cut-i-don-t-know-what-the/) [James Spader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-spader/) > [To have one's own story told by a third party who doesn't know that the character in question is himself the hero of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/to-have-one-s-own-story-told-by-a-third-party-who-doesn-t-know-that/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) > [There are not that many jobs as an actor where you don't get to know what your character will be doing from episode to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/there-are-not-that-many-jobs-as-an-actor-where-you-don-t-get-to-know/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [You get the part, sign the contract and start to realize millions of people follow this guy and know more about your character than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hemsworth/you-get-the-part-sign-the-contract-and-start-to-realize-millions-of/) [Chris Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hemsworth/) > [On a TV show, you don't know where the character is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/on-a-tv-show-you-don-t-know-where-the-character-is-going/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) > [You've got to leave the reader with more than just a name and a costume - they need to know who the character is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/you-ve-got-to-leave-the-reader-with-more-than-just-a-name-and-a/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I think the ultimate goal is that when we're off-stage, we know everything our character is thinking. Hopefully when we are on-stage, our thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-steele/i-think-the-ultimate-goal-is-that-when-we-re-off-stage-we-know/) [Sarah Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-steele/) > [“I know that character exists from the outside alone. I know that inside the body there's just temperature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-know-that-character-exists-from-the-outside-alone-i-know-that/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [I'm not the kind of actor that would know what my character had for breakfast last Tuesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-m-not-the-kind-of-actor-that-would-know-what-my-character-had-for/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Your character is who you are. To understand yourself is to know your character. To love yourself is to love your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-character-is-who-you-are-to-understand-yourself-is-to-know-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Stephen Covey > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [In a very real sense, there are only two roles in organisations: customers and suppliers. 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He is so much more than just a football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-believe-in-coach-louis-wong-he-is-so-much-more-than-just-a-football/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/most-people-struggle-with-life-balance-simply-because-they-haven-t/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/highly-proactive-people-don-t-blame-circumstances-conditions-or/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [When it comes to developing character strength, inner security and unique personal and interpersonal talents and skills in a child, no institution can or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/when-it-comes-to-developing-character-strength-inner-security-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people define greatness through wealth and popularity and position in the corner office. 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True effectiveness requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/many-people-seem-to-think-that-success-in-one-area-can-compensate-for/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) [Explore all 663 Stephen Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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