How to Give Personal Compliments or Praise

The ability to give proper compliments and praise is an important aspect of developing both business and personal relationships. Almost everyone wants to be appreciated and congratulated when they do something well. Understanding how to effectively give compliments will help to brighten the day of others, as well as establish a good rapport.

Instructions

1. Be honest and sincere when issuing a compliment or giving praise. This is probably the single most important thing to remember. Giving insincere or phony compliments to someone is a quick way to ruin a relationship, and most people can sense dishonesty.

2. Give compliments that are specific and personal to the person. It's important to focus on the positive traits or actions that the individual person has done well; otherwise, your praise is likely to seem generic and superficial.

3. Focus on the person and not the object. For example, if someone has a nice watch, make sure that you praise his good taste, not merely the watch by itself.

4. Give praise as soon as you notice good actions. Don't wait until later, as the positive effects of your praise will be lessened.

5. Don't go overboard and give compliments that aren't truly earned. Giving unnecessary praise can weaken the overall value of your compliments. Keep it simple and straightforward.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful when complimenting an individual around others. This can sometimes lead to conflicts if other people feel left out or under-appreciated.

References

• Year To Success: The Art of Praise and Compliment
• Management Site: Learning to Compliment Effectively

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish