Bask in the Glory : Blog # 95

Bask in the Glory

         I am not someone who gets complimented very often. Still, whenever some compliments come my way as rarely it may be, I am completely at sea.

         Most of us handle criticisms well. It is a fight or flight situation. Either you confront it upfront or ignore it completely. But when it comes to compliments, we do not know where to look or what to say.

       Let us look at some ways of accepting compliments graciously and how to bask in the glory :).

          The most common scenario is when we are complimented on having achieved something or for having executed a process. For instance, you organized an event and someone walks up to you and says “I haven’t seen a more organized event. Great Job!”.The trick here is to pass on the credit. You may say “The accolades should go to the team. I just showed them the way. It is them who walked the path.”

        There might be people who might compliment you by showing others in poor light. This is a path that needs to be tread cautiously. For instance, when you win a competition. You may say “It is my worthy opponents who brought out the best in me. They made me give my best shot. As far as winning the competition goes, it is just that the stars were on my side that day.”

           Many get complimented on aspects which they have not spent any effort on. For example,those who are blessed with good looks. When someone complements you on such aspects, a self depreciating humour will come handy. This will show that you are not narcissistic or self indulgent in nature.

        You might get complimented on any of your talent. People might be generous with their praises. One should humbly accept the compliment without sounding pompous, at the same time not putting off the person who is appreciating you.

        Now, when you get appreciated at work place. Your manager says you have improved on a specific skill. To be safe, pay the compliment right back. Tell your manager that it was he/she who gave you the feedback a few days before. You saw the merit in the advice and put in some efforts in that regard. This way, the manager gets the hint that you are taking his/her suggestions seriously and constructively.

        Having said all this, why is it important that we take compliments seriously?We all need reassurances that we are doing things the right way. We need reaffirmations that we are progressing in the right direction. A compliment is a validation of just that. Also, more often than not a compliment comes with a  piece of constructive criticism. “You are good at presentation. It is your strength. If  you work on voice your modulation, you will make a greater impact”. It is in these little advises hidden around the corner where the secret of success to Life lies.

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                     Arun Babu

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