For today's challenge, compliment someone!
Why compliment someone?
Not only do compliments make the recipients feel good, but they will make you feel good as well!
(“The Psychology of Compliments: A Nice Word Goes a Long Way”)
Why does complimenting someone make us happier?
We are often reluctant to give compliments for a variety of reasons, but studies have shown that they actually create a much larger and longer effect on the well-being of the receiver than most people predict. Compliments also increase the well-being of the giver, as we all feel better when we know we have made someone else happier (think of the fill someone else's bucket concept). On a more fundamental level, compliment giving as a practice trains you to look at positive aspects around you to help overcome your natural negativity bias.
The practice of compliment giving will also boost morale in your organization and help create an overall positive culture. In fact, establishing a culture of gratitude seems to go further than offering financial rewards in boosting morale! Additionally, it will improve your work relations if people know they can count on hearing positive things for you. You will be the one they are happy to work with. By developing this positive culture, your employees will be more engaged and give more of themselves to their work.
How can you do it?
In its most basic form,
Keep your eyes open for something you can compliment, anything no matter how small or big - from the color of someone's shirt to the quality of the quarterly report they produced.
Don't stop yourself if you don't know the person or are worried about how the other person will take it.
Focus on conveying warmth rather than the actual words or sentence structure.
Just as people must eat regularly to satisfy their biological needs, the fundamental need to be seen, recognized, and appreciated by others, as it turns out, is a recurring need at work and in life.
(“A Simple Compliment Can Make a Big Difference”)
Give a compliment (or several) today!
“A Simple Compliment Can Make a Big Difference.” Harvard Business Review, 24 Feb. 2021, hbr.org/2021/02/a-simple-compliment-can-make-a-big-difference. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
“The Psychology of Compliments: A Nice Word Goes a Long Way.” Psychology Today, 2021, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/202109/the-psychology-compliments-nice-word-goes-long-way. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.