Bentley is the founder and CEO of Liz Bentley Associates, a consulting firm focused on empowering leaders and their teams. September 26, 2025 We’ve all been there. We’re frustrated with a colleague, but instead of addressing the issue, we do something a little odd: We offer a compliment. Are we just praising someone’s idea or work—even when it doesn’t hit the mark—in order to avoid conflict? That’s a fake compliment.