We've all learned the lesson that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Yet some people find their way around that sage piece of advice. They hide their mean comments with a smile ...

Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Design by Vivien Wang. The other week, my roommate and I were talking about our favorite ...

Not all compliments are what they seem. Some are genuine reflections of who you are. Others are subtle contracts offered with a smile, but laced with expectation. Compliments can be disarming. They ...

Compliments can be tricky business, even though by definition the whole point of them is to make another human feel good. Despite your noble intentions, it can be hard to figure out how to give a good ...

From "you're so articulate" to "you're mature for your age," these seemingly positive remarks often carry hidden assumptions ...

We instinctively acknowledge a difference between authentic admiration and cheap flattery. But how do respective differences in power, status, and rank impact the way compliments are given and ...

What started as genuine praise from your boss might be landing as subtle insults with your younger colleagues—and neither of ...