2:10: Giving a compliment is just like active listening—how?
3:00: What’s the secret message behind your follow-up questions?
4:00: Say something positive that you mean about someone in every interaction
4:30: Your life as Sherlock Holmes?
4:55: The one thing you should definitely compliment about anyone:
5:30: How to give a bad compliment:
6:50: If something isn’t safe in a compliment, don’t say it.
One quick way to give a bad compliment is to suggest in the compliment that this is something the person doesn’t do a whole lot. Here’s one: “You look really sharp and fashionable today, shockingly enough!” It’s as if they dressed well today, but don’t usually dress well. This kind of “shocked” attitude is a counterproductive one toward giving great compliments.
Instead, think of yourself as a conversational Sherlock Holmes or some other detective, and you’re on a case to find out what got this person to where he is, or why this brooch means so much to this other person. Something like a brooch may be an excellent piece to compliment—if you see something that someone has spent time and energy on, compliment them on their work!
People will appreciate being appreciated for their efforts. Knowing this, put on your detective hat to be on the lookout for anything people have spent time and energy on, and that’s immediately something you can compliment them on.
Stay tuned, and stay awesome!
