What if the compliments you thought were kind are actually quietly cutting people down? Find out how subtle biases hide in everyday praise—and what to say instead.

He stated that Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman does not accept either praise or flattery. "We work with him and listen to him, and we know that this is his approach.

When performance lags, however, the praise and opinion support from subordinates tends to continue. The CEO, affected by the flattery, remains convinced that the strategy is a good one, and so stays ...