World Compliment Day
The economy of kindness. This day explores the social psychology of praise and why we find it so difficult to accept a sincere compliment without feeling suspicious. This lesson explores the manipulation of niceness and how genuine appreciation acts as a vital lubricant for professional and personal relationships.
Speaking Discussion
- Why do many people immediately deflect or minimise a compliment instead of just saying thank you?
- Can a compliment be a weapon? How do we distinguish between sincere praise and manipulative flattery?
- Is there a gender gap in how we give compliments? Do men and women praise different qualities?
- Should managers be trained to give at least three compliments for every one piece of criticism?
- If you could only compliment one character trait in your best friend, which would it be and why?
Activity 1: The Charisma Consultant
The Task: You are a social skills coach. Your client is a cold, strictly professional CEO who never praises their staff. Design a 3-Step praise protocol that feels natural and not forced. Explain how they should handle visual vs performance compliments in the office.
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate
Complete and justify these statements in 30 seconds each: 1. 'A world without compliments would eventually become...' 2. 'The most difficult person to compliment is always...' 3. 'The ultimate sign of a fake compliment is...'