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How To Ruin A Compliment

March 3, 2010 by Ian 3 Comments

Actually, this is more about ruining the very simple phrase “You’re Welcome.”

It’s easier than you think. Instead of expressing a genuine reciprocation of the understanding that you’ve done something nice for someone, dismiss the entire event in as few words as possible.

Water under the bridge, some say. No problem.

I hate hearing someone say No Problem when they hear thank you. It’s become a universally accepted replacement for You’re Welcome, but it stinks, because at once you’re dismissing any effort you made on their behalf, as well as implying that a similar but perhaps broader request might sometime go unanswered.

Try it sometime, see how it feels. Spend a Wednesday answering with nothing but No Problem – then on Thursday, answer entirely with You’re Welcome, Glad To, or some other sincere acknowledgment that you had the choice not to help someone out, but did so anyway.

Own the work, and you’ll earn the gratitude.

Or is that too Seth Godin for you? You’re welcome.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: seth godin, sociology

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