How to accept a compliment
Accept a compliment by saying thank you and stopping there, or adding one small true sentence: thank you, I worked hard on that. Resist the urge to deflect, shrink it or hand it straight back. At work, it is fine to share credit where it belongs, but still take your part: thank you, the team pulled it together and I am proud of my section.
Why it matters: Deflecting a compliment rejects a gift; accepting it takes two words.
Steps
- Notice the urge to deflect: oh, this old thing, or it was nothing.
- Say thank you and pause.
- Add one true sentence if you want: I am glad it helped.
- At work, share credit fairly and still claim your part.
- Write down work compliments with the date in your brag file.
- Practice with small ones until it feels natural.
Common mistakes
- Arguing with the compliment.
- Immediately complimenting them back to even it out.
- Crediting only others for your own work.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to accept a compliment
What to say
Accept a compliment by saying thank you and stopping there, or adding one small true sentence: thank you, I worked hard on that. Resist the urge to deflect, shrink it or hand it straight back. At work, it is fine to share credit where it belongs, but still take your part: thank you, the team pulled it together and I am proud of my section.
What to show
- Notice the urge to deflect: oh, this old thing, or it was nothing.
- Say thank you and pause.
- Add one true sentence if you want: I am glad it helped.
- At work, share credit fairly and still claim your part.
- Write down work compliments with the date in your brag file.
- Practice with small ones until it feels natural.
Check question
What is the simplest way to accept a compliment?
Answer: Thank you, then stop. It receives the compliment without undoing it.
Your checklist
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Quick quiz
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Related skills
Sources
This skill is general practice and draws on no single published source.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .