Compare these two compliments a performer receives after a piano recital.
Great job!
versus…
The colors in your Rachmaninoff were beautiful. And the drama and storytelling of your Chopin ballade were breathtaking. You nailed the coda, too!
Which compliment will mean more to the performer?
If you want to give a memorable compliment to anyone, it takes one simple thing.
Specificity.
Being specific shows people you were paying attention. And paying attention means a lot to people.
Anyone can say “great job.”
But it takes specificity to show someone you really care.
