Everyone likes to be complimented, but to accept a compliment with gravitas is a challenge. Most of us mishandle these professional compliments by downplaying them. Some of these ways include
- Ignore: The compliment got no acknowledgement because the receiver did not hear it or did not realize he/she was being complimentedCompliment: That was a great presentation.
Response: Let’s grab a quick bite
- Denial: The receiver denies the compliment.Compliment: That was a great presentation.Response: No,…It wasn’t. You must be joking.
- Arguing: Getting into an altercation with the person complimenting
Compliment: That was a great presentation.
Response: You bet, Anyone having this topic would have done it like this. - Self-Insult: Receiver handles it by degrading oneself.Compliment: That was a great presentation.
Response: I always make the same mistake of not using the leg space properly. I am so careless - Boomerang: You scratch my back, I will scratch yours. In response to a compliment, the receiver gets one compliment: That was a great presentation.
Response: Rather, your presentation was terrific. - Reassurance: He/She is not sure of accepting the compliment and re-confirms.Compliment: That was a great presentation ;
Response: Do you really feel so, I was so nervous. - Credit Transfer: The Receiver transfers the compliment to others compliment: That was a great presentation.
Response: The entire credit goes to my mentor, who worked really hard on this. - Interrogation: Asking to follow up questions complement: That was a great presentation.
Response: Ohh !! How many great presenters have you actually bumped into? I am not a patch on them.