There is a boy in my gym class (I'll call him Bill) who has unbearably yellow teeth that almost make everyone feel unpleasant.
There
is
a
boy
in
my
gym
class
(
I
'll
call
him
Bill
)
who
has
unbearably
yellow
teeth
that
almost
make
everyone
feel
unpleasant
.
Recently another boy told Bill that he should "go Ajax" his teeth.
Recently
another
boy
told
Bill
that
he
should
``
go
Ajax
''
his
teeth
.
Bill was crushed.
Bill
was
crushed
.
Had the other boy been thinking, he would have realized that there is a better way to handle such a situation.
Had
the
other
boy
been
thinking
,
he
would
have
realized
that
there
is
a
better
way
to
handle
such
a
situation
.
He could have dealt with it with tact.
He
could
have
dealt
with
it
with
tact
.
He could have showed this hurtful truth in a more careful, sensitive way--that's "tact".
He
could
have
showed
this
hurtful
truth
in
a
more
careful
,
sensitive
way
--
that
's
``
tact
''
.
If a person isn't sensitive to another's feelings, there is no way he or she can be tactful.
If
a
person
is
n't
sensitive
to
another
's
feelings
,
there
is
no
way
he
or
she
can
be
tactful
.
Yesterday, my 5-year-old brother proudly announced that he had cleaned the screen on our television set.
Yesterday
,
my
5-year-old
brother
proudly
announced
that
he
had
cleaned
the
screen
on
our
television
set
.
Unfortunately, he used furniture polish, which produced an oily film on the television screen.
Unfortunately
,
he
used
furniture
polish
,
which
produced
an
oily
film
on
the
television
screen
.
My mother smiled and thanked him for his efforts--and then showed how to clean the screen properly.
My
mother
smiled
and
thanked
him
for
his
efforts
--
and
then
showed
how
to
clean
the
screen
properly
.
Her sensitivity enables my brother to keep his self-respect.
Her
sensitivity
enables
my
brother
to
keep
his
self-respect
.
Yet, sensitivity alone does not make tact.
Yet
,
sensitivity
alone
does
not
make
tact
.
"Tactfulness" also requires "truthfulness".
``
Tactfulness
''
also
requires
``
truthfulness
''
.
Doctors, for example must be truthful.
Doctors
,
for
example
must
be
truthful
.
If a patient has just been disabled in an accident, a tactful doctor will tell the truth--but express it with sensitivity.
If
a
patient
has
just
been
disabled
in
an
accident
,
a
tactful
doctor
will
tell
the
truth
--
but
express
it
with
sensitivity
.
The doctor may try to give the patient hope by telling them curing techniques under study or about advanced equipment now available.
The
doctor
may
try
to
give
the
patient
hope
by
telling
them
curing
techniques
under
study
or
about
advanced
equipment
now
available
.
Doctors must use tact with patients relatives as well.
Doctors
must
use
tact
with
patients
relatives
as
well
.
Instead of bluntly saying, "Your husband is disabled," a doctor might say, "I'm sorry, but your husband has lost feeling in his legs and ..."
Instead
of
bluntly
saying
,
``
Your
husband
is
disabled
,
''
a
doctor
might
say
,
``
I
'm
sorry
,
but
your
husband
has
lost
feeling
in
his
legs
and
...
''
Tact should not be confused with trickery.
Tact
should
not
be
confused
with
trickery
.
Trickery occurs when a nurse is about to give a patient an injection and says, "This won't hurt a bit."
Trickery
occurs
when
a
nurse
is
about
to
give
a
patient
an
injection
and
says
,
``
This
wo
n't
hurt
a
bit
.
''
Instead of trickery, the nurse might guarantee the patient that the discomfort of the injection is a small thing compared to the benefits of it.
Instead
of
trickery
,
the
nurse
might
guarantee
the
patient
that
the
discomfort
of
the
injection
is
a
small
thing
compared
to
the
benefits
of
it
.
It would also be thoughtful for the nurse to tell the patients about some of these benefits.
It
would
also
be
thoughtful
for
the
nurse
to
tell
the
patients
about
some
of
these
benefits
.
Tact is a wonderful skill to have, and tactful people are usually admired and respected.
Tact
is
a
wonderful
skill
to
have
,
and
tactful
people
are
usually
admired
and
respected
.
Without tact our society would become an intolerable place to live in.
Without
tact
our
society
would
become
an
intolerable
place
to
live
in
.
There is a boy in my gym class (I'll call him Bill) who has unbearably yellow teeth that almost make everyone feel unpleasant. Recently another boy told Bill that he should "go Ajax" his teeth. Bill was crushed. Had the other boy been thinking, he would have realized that there is a better way to handle such a situation. He could have dealt with it with tact. He could have showed this hurtful truth in a more careful, sensitive way--that's "tact".  If a person isn't sensitive to another's feelings, there is no way he or she can be tactful. Yesterday, my 5-year-old brother proudly announced that he had cleaned the screen on our television set. Unfortunately, he used furniture polish, which produced an oily film on the television screen. My mother smiled and thanked him for his efforts--and then showed how to clean the screen properly. Her sensitivity enables my brother to keep his self-respect. Yet, sensitivity alone does not make tact.  "Tactfulness" also requires "truthfulness". Doctors, for example must be truthful. If a patient has just been disabled in an accident, a tactful doctor will tell the truth--but express it with sensitivity. The doctor may try to give the patient hope by telling them curing techniques under study or about advanced equipment now available. Doctors must use tact with patients relatives as well. Instead of bluntly saying, "Your husband is disabled," a doctor might say, "I'm sorry, but your husband has lost feeling in his legs and ..."  Tact should not be confused with trickery. Trickery occurs when a nurse is about to give a patient an injection and says, "This won't hurt a bit." Instead of trickery, the nurse might guarantee the patient that the discomfort of the injection is a small thing compared to the benefits of it. It would also be thoughtful for the nurse to tell the patients about some of these benefits.  Tact is a wonderful skill to have, and tactful people are usually admired and respected. Without tact our society would become an intolerable place to live in.