Can’t Take A Compliment?
Tell me if this sounds familiar: You work exceedingly hard. You’ve honed your skills. You know when you’ve done great work and take a quiet pride in it. And yet, the moment someone verbalizes it in the form of a compliment you can’t seem to string two words together. Instead, you revert into one of the following:
- The babbling-response.
- The self-deprecating response.
- The total and complete blackout.
That nonsense has to stop. Here’s how to take a compliment:
- Realize that someone is paying you a compliment.
- Let them finish.
- Seriously, let them finish.
- Take a breath.
- Smile and say “Thank you. That’s really good to hear.”
- Move on in the conversation. Don’t over-explain. Don’t undercut yourself. Just thank them sincerely and move on with a question about how their work is going.
Why is this so hard? Many people associate embarrassment or discomfort with the process of being recognized. Sometimes, this response is caused by the dissonance we feel when someone contradicts our own self-doubt.
One way to turn that discomfort on its head is to realize that the compliment has more to do with the person giving it than with you. When someone is complimenting you, they are sharing how your actions or behaviors impacted them. They are not asking if you agree. So don’t rob them of that moment.
Happy Tuesday & Happy Selling!
Kevin