First, let's define what it means to flatter a leader. Standing firmly with the leader and responding to their call during major issues and critical organizational decisions is not flattery; it's a necessary choice. Generally, flattery refers to excessive catering and fawning over trivial matters. Nowadays, people use "flattery" to satirize behavior that disregards objective reality and solely aims to ingratiate and please others. It seems like a derogatory term, but in practice, many employees rise by flattering their leaders, and in the "flattery circle," they package their behavior as neutral, calling it "being savvy," or even positive, calling it "high emotional intelligence." Of course, not all leaders like subordinates who flatter them, but why do so many leaders, even when they recognize it, still enjoy being flattered by their subordinates? First, no matter how powerful a leader is, they are still a living individual. Maslow's hierarchy of needs clearly states that the highest human need is self-actualization, which often requires reference, recognition, or even envy from other members of society. Many luxury goods and car advertisements say things like "Admired by many, enjoyed by few"... As individuals, we are all more or less born with vanity, and being flattered is one way to satisfy that vanity. Second, as a leader, they naturally need to be responsible for the effective operation of the process and the ultimate performance of the results within a certain scope. An employee skilled at flattering can often act as a lubricant, giving other employees confidence and helping the leader quickly implement decisions effectively. Imagine, as a leader, you make a decision that may not be perfect but is necessary—would you prefer your subordinates to actively "like" and respond, or to constantly find faults? At the same time, why would an employee flatter their leader? It's usually to gain the leader's appreciation and more opportunities (such as promotion or salary increase) in the long run. But flattery is a slow-acting medicine; you rarely get immediate benefits from a single act of flattery. However, in the long run, employees who like to flatter (unless they are maliciously catering, morally corrupt, or extremely incompetent) can gain "flattery returns," because in the leader's view, flattering employees may not be the most capable (those with exceptional personal ability generally disdain flattery because it's slow and time-consuming), but they are highly loyal. If you plan to change jobs in a month or a year, would you still spend time flattering your leader? As the saying goes, "Everything may fail, but flattery never does." There's no need to overinterpret or overcriticize flattery. If your girlfriend isn't pretty, wouldn't you still compliment her? You would! If your child does poorly in school, can't you still praise them? You can! If your mom puts too much salt in the food, would you spit it out? Pretend it's fine and keep eating! Personally, I think flattery is acceptable as long as it's at the level of "encouraging others and lubricating relationships," not malicious catering. It may not be encouraged, but at least it shouldn't be opposed or criticized. After all, in this world, the only ones who hate applause might be mosquitoes in summer. Editor's PS: The editor has selected 1,067 quality articles from nearly 1,900 published on this official account, categorized them into 14 major categories and 57 knowledge points, and systematically compiled frontline marketing management content into a library for your learning. From market to customers, covering practical tactics and management, all are valuable insights. Follow the official account and reply with the number "1" to browse and view related content.