---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can get more with a kind word and a…"
description: "\"You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word.\" — Willie Sutton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/willie-sutton-39460_get_you-can-get-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a_2928401.png"
---

#  You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can…

![“You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word.” quote by Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/willie-sutton-39460_get_you-can-get-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a_2928401.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/willie-sutton-39460_get_you-can-get-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a_2928401.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/willie-sutton-39460_get_you-can-get-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a_2928401.png)

> “You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word.”

[Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A kind word combined with force yields more results than kindness alone.

**In simple terms:** Kindness plus strength is more effective than kindness alone.

Key Takeaway

Use both diplomacy and decisive action.

Themes

power communication strategy

Mood

cautious serious

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- negotiations
- conflict resolution
- leadership
- law enforcement

Key Concepts

influence coercion pragmatism

Questions to Reflect On

- When is force justified?
- How can you achieve goals without violence?

A Different Perspective

May be unethical or violent; not always appropriate.

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## Related quotes

> [You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-get-further-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you-can-with-just/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You can do more with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-do-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-with-just-a-kind-word/)

[Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [You can get more of what you want with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-get-more-of-what-you-want-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you/)

[Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [“You can get much further with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-get-much-further-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you-can-with/)

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> [“You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-get-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you-can-with-a-kind/)

[Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [“you'll accomlish more with a kind word and a gun, than you will with a kind word alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-ll-accomlish-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you-will-with-a/)

[al capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-get-much-farther-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-you-can-with/)

[Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [You can get farther with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-get-farther-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-with-a-kind-word/)

[Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/)

> [We didn't have counsellors rushing around every time somebody let off a gun. You just got on with it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/we-didn-t-have-counsellors-rushing-around-every-time-somebody-let-off/)

[Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/)

> [A kind word is no substitute for a piece of herring or a bag of oats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/a-kind-word-is-no-substitute-for-a-piece-of-herring-or-a-bag-of-oats/)

[Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/)

> [If it was up to me, if you uttered the word 'gun control,' we'd put you in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/if-it-was-up-to-me-if-you-uttered-the-word-gun-control-we-d-put-you/)

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> [You're like a gun. You just load me all up, then you shoot me and get rid of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-munton/you-re-like-a-gun-you-just-load-me-all-up-then-you-shoot-me-and-get/)

[Simone Munton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-munton/)

> [“The gun was just the go-between. It was the loneliness that got me in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/the-gun-was-just-the-go-between-it-was-the-loneliness-that-got-me-in/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

## More by Willie Sutton

> [It is a rather pleasant experience to be alone in a bank at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/it-is-a-rather-pleasant-experience-to-be-alone-in-a-bank-at-night/)

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> [Why did I rob banks? Because I enjoyed it. I loved it. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/why-did-i-rob-banks-because-i-enjoyed-it-i-loved-it-i-was-more-alive/)

[Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/)

> [Because that's where the money is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/because-that-s-where-the-money-is/)

[Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/)

> [I rob banks because that's where the money is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/i-rob-banks-because-that-s-where-the-money-is/)

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> [Go where the money is... and go there often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/go-where-the-money-is-and-go-there-often/)

[Willie Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/)

> [Success in any endeavor requires single-minded attention to detail and total concentration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/success-in-any-endeavor-requires-single-minded-attention-to-detail/)

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> [“(Why do you rob banks, Willie?) Because that's where the money is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/why-do-you-rob-banks-willie-because-that-s-where-the-money-is/)

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> [Do not serve time, let time serve you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/do-not-serve-time-let-time-serve-you/)

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> [You can't rob a bank on charm and personality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-sutton/you-can-t-rob-a-bank-on-charm-and-personality/)

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[Explore all 11 Willie Sutton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-sutton/)

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