If I’m having even the most decentest of days I tend to be very complimentary – especially to co-workers. For a little while in college I was sure I was meant to go into PR, because I love to spin people in a positive way.
(That was nixed, at least for the time being, because I don’t usually find products to be quite so spinnable.)
If a designer whips up a cool brochure in record time, or if one of my friends sings a song really well, or if someone just makes me happy, i don’t hesitate to let it be known – not only to the person, but to anyone else in earshot or who I see later that day.
What’s funny is that I don’t really think about the impact of my compliments – whether they brighten someone’s day or seem routine and vacuous – I just make them because people seem to deserve them. I am an indiscriminate complimenter.
Work today was as frenetic as ever, peaking in the seemingly impossible task of providing final sign-off on multiple 100+ page books that are due to mail in a week.
As I was leaving I bumped into a particularly beleaguered co-worker in the hall who had been proofreading the books all day, and said, “Last call for Peter. Speak now or hold your proofreading until the morning.” She laughed and said she was fine for the night.
“Are you sure,” i queried, “because I can stay if you need help.”
From the other side of the hall someone from another team chimed in. “Isn’t Peter great that way? He always offers to help, and he really means it, even if he’s on his way out. That’s pretty awesome.”
In the wake of that five seconds of honest, unsolicited compliment I felt as if someone just told me I got a promotion to CEO. I truly love my job, and I don’t offer to help people to get complimented or so I’ll be well-reviewed, but it was really nice to know that someone else appreciated it.
My dear reader, have you been offering praise where praise is due? If not, try it for a day or two. And, if you wind up making someone’s day as much as my co-worker made mine, leave a comment to tell me about it.