Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
I think a compliment ought always to precede a complaint, where one is possible, because it softens resentment and insures for the complaint a courteous and gentle reception.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A compliment can help make a complaint more acceptable and less harsh.
In this quote, Mark Twain suggests that when we need to give feedback, especially if it's negative, starting with a compliment can create a more positive atmosphere. This approach softens the impact of the complaint, making it more likely to be received in a constructive manner rather than as an attack, thus maintaining respectful and cordial communication.
Themes
ComplimentComplaintCommunicationResilienceRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a business meeting when giving feedback on a team member's project.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes →The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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