Giving and receiving compliments

Last week at a farewell dinner, I wanted to pay a colleague a compliment on her speech. It had been incredible, and I told her so. She looked flattered but immediately tried to play down what she'd done, saying it was nothing special. I wasn't having it—the speech was genuine and powerful. She deserved to take credit for it. I mentioned that her natural warmth always seems to <mark data-word="brin