Responding to Compliments Professionally & Positively

Everyone will agree that it feels wonderful to receive compliments, especially for a well-done job.

You will inevitably get congratulations or appreciation for your work when you perform an excellent job at your company. Understanding how to respond to compliments professionally will be beneficial to you.

While getting compliments can be motivating, they can make you uncomfortable if you don’t know how to react. It’s crucial to accept compliments gracefully, avoid taking credit you don’t deserve and respond modestly at the same time.

Remember these things as we demonstrate how to react professionally to compliments in this post.

What is a compliment?

A compliment is verbal praise, often given spontaneously. Generally, people give compliments without any expectation of a reward. They can also come across as a form of flattery. Ensure you avoid this. 

Compliments may be given during conversations, in an email, in an office, or over the phone. There are a few types of compliments, some of which you will likely see regularly or on formal occasions.

Why You Should Respond to A Compliment

A compliment is a big deal, but most people are unaware of this fact. It’s essential and professional to respond appropriately to compliments received in the work environment. 

Here’s why you should respond to compliments.

1. It demonstrates your gratitude.

If you don’t express appreciation, many people may assume that you are too busy and don’t value the gesture.

While this may not be true, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry and to give an appropriate response in appreciation. Showing gratitude or appreciation for compliments also creates a favorable working environment around your team.

2. Fosters relationships with colleagues

You give yourself a chance to deepen your professional relationships with your coworkers when you develop the practice of responding to compliments. 

3. Think about it this way

Expressing gratitude for a compliment sends the message that you want to connect with your coworkers.

4. It demonstrates your competence.

Responding professionally to a compliment highlights your strengths and competence.

How to Respond to Compliments Professionally

When someone says something that pleases and affects our esteem and views, we should respond accordingly. Many people lack the training necessary to respond professionally to compliments.

You can learn and practice the crucial professional skill of graciously accepting compliments. Here are some suggestions about how to respond professionally to compliments at work:

1. Acknowledge the compliment with a smile

A smile is the simplest professional way to show acceptance of a compliment. It says, “Thank You; I appreciate your saying that.” When you send a smile, you are showing the person who gave the compliment that you heard him or her. 

A smile is an appropriate response before you find the proper verbal response.

2. Give a Simple Reply

A simple “thank you” is an excellent response to a compliment. This is also appropriate when you are not sure how to respond. It is professional and concise.

3. Make a brief comment on the compliment.

This is a quick way of saying that you’ve heard the listener’s compliment. You might say, “Thank you,” “I appreciate that,” or “It’s true; I’m lucky.” If you want to say more, you can continue to add additional thought to your response.

4. Make your response sincere.

Make your response as sincere as you can. Say what you mean as professionally as you can. Avoid downplaying your efforts in your response. This does not help you professionally.

5. Be Humble

Regardless of the reason or nature of the compliment, the best response is to accept them graciously and gracefully. Being humble is a mentality that radiates from your actions and makes a great impression in front of your colleagues and bosses. Showing humility is an excellent way to promote a professional and harmonious working environment.

6. Show your appreciation.

Let people know you appreciate the compliment. Doing so also implies that you accept it as a testament to who you are and your abilities. Be courteous, show your gratitude and briefly comment on the compliment.

Don’t deny the compliment even if you don’t take a compliment well. Just remember to be humble.

7. Talk about the current task.

Make a point of making additional comments on the task for which you received a compliment. A common way to phrase this is to say, “Thanks for taking the time to notice.”

It shows that, while you appreciate the compliment, it isn’t the only thing on your mind and that you value their time. You do this by explaining how you could complete that task despite its difficulty. This shows that while you appreciate the compliment, your focus remains on the task. 

8. Utilize the chance to obtain more feedback.

A compliment allows you to get more feedback from the source. For example, If you received a compliment for creating a solution, you could respond with “Thank you. Was there any difficulty in implementing it?“

9. Acknowledge others and give credit to whoever deserves it.

Another great way to respond to a compliment is to reciprocate the gesture. Also, acknowledge anyone who may have aided you in the task for which you received a commendation.

10. Don’t be emotional

When considering how to respond to a compliment professionally, don’t fuss over it. Try not to react emotionally. If you are feeling emotional, it may make you less effective in communicating your response.

Conclusion

Your attitude toward compliments reveals a lot about you. It can open doors of opportunity and enhance your career prospects. Any time invested in mastering how to respond to compliments professionally is worthwhile.

In addition, always remember that it is not professional to give disproportionate responses to compliments. It can come across as flattery or sarcasm. Following the guidelines above will place you on the right path.