If you have something nice to say
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Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is that if you have something nice to say, say it. Don't stay silent when speaking up could provide encouragement or joy. So if you are a socially adept person, my guess is that you often suppress criticism, especially if you feel it wouldn't be productive. As your mother might have said, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. In general, that is good advice. Better to skip the complaints when no good is likely to come from them. However, skipping complaints does not mean you need to skip all feedback or all nonessential comments. If you have something nice to say, it is good to go ahead and say it.
For starters, gratitude is going to make any situation better. Thank you for this helpful meeting. You made it very clear to me what I need to do next. Thank you for thinking to propose a carpool.
What is the episode’s opening message about speaking up and compliments?
You are going to save all of us a lot of time. I would encourage you to share compliments, too, if you are asked to review a document. When you encounter something you like, say so. Comment bubbles aren't only for critiques. You can use them for praise. This is a great opening paragraph. You really establish why this topic is important. Or you have such a gift for clear explanations of technical matters. You can offer compliments live, too. After a great talk, find the speaker and say, that was such an interesting presentation. I am looking forward to hearing more about this project as it unfolds. If someone makes a generative comment in a meeting, acknowledge that. Dorothy's comment really has me thinking about this topic in an entirely new way.
Why does the host say ‘if you have something nice to say, say it’?
Even if you can't offer appreciation or praise to a person directly, it is still worth sharing any nice observations about how you feel. Any sort of positivity is welcome in the world. At a restaurant with friends, you could comment on the warm and relaxing atmosphere. While running with your exercise buddy, you could point out a gorgeous yard as you run by. Positivity encourages more positivity. It is a virtuous cycle. So while you don't want to consume too much airtime in any conversation or offer compliments that seem forced, if there is something nice at the tip of your tongue, go ahead and say it. You will probably bring a smile to the people around you. And perhaps to yourself as well. In the meantime...
This is Laura. Thanks for listening. And here's to making the most of our time.
Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at LauraVanderkam.com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeart Media. For more podcasts from iHeart Media, please visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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