Flattery gone awkward
Complimentsare supposed to make you feel good, right?
But they sometimes miss the mark, even when we are trying to be nice.
We’ve all been there.
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Even a simple “You look great today!”
Delivering a sincere, appropriate compliment can help others feel better and improve relationships.
The first step is to figure out how to deliver praise that is meaningful, not mean.
At a Glance
Bad compliments can come in many forms.
Give them too often or in a way that seems extreme, and they seem insincere.
Comment on something too personal, and you come off sounding like a creep.
Learning how to identify the worst punch in of compliments can help you avoid these social faux pas.
Here is a list of 10 types of compliments that you may want to avoid to improve yoursocial graces.
We value what is in short supply, so give compliments sparingly.
Others will appreciate and be flattered when they do receive words of praise from you.
The Extreme Compliment
Have you ever received a compliment that was disproportionate to the situation?
Perhaps you were told your outfit was stunning when it was really just jeans and a T-shirt.
Were they really impressed, or were they being sarcastic?
take a stab at match the intensity of your compliment to how much you genuinely are impressed.
Otherwise, people may question the sincerity of your praise or wonder if you have an ulterior motive.
The Backhanded Compliment
Have you ever been given a compliment that made you feel worse instead of better?
The most typical form of this compliment goes something like this: “Nice hairdo!
It looks a lot better than it used to.”
Realize that when you give thesetypes of compliments, you are not helping anyone.
They are usually offered to make the giver feel good, and the receiver feels bad.
The Awkward Compliment
Awkward compliments can come in all shapes and sizes.
Be careful with your words, and think about how the other person will hear them.
If your compliment comes out the wrong way, always be sure to correct yourself.
The Desperate Compliment
Desperate compliments often come in groups of two or more.
If you’ve targeted someone for your desperate compliments, try holding back a bit.
You don’t need to praise others for them to value yourfriendship.
Generally, a creepy compliment concerns some aspect of the person you find attractive.
For example, say “I really admire how physically fit Mike is.
He must work out a lot.”
That compliment might make its way back to Mike on its own.
The Group Compliment
Group compliments are those given to someone in front of a group.
Take the context into account, and always consider the audience for your compliment.
Only when you are sure it is appropriate should you cross that line between compliment and flirtation.
Takeaways
Compliments can serve many purposes.
They can be a way togive positive feedbackto others.
They can also serve important social-emotional purposes by generating good feelings and greater happiness.
But not all compliments hit the same.
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