Praise laced flattery - 'The Sweet Killer' In a culture defecient of recognition, even the powerful fail to differentiate between authentic praise and it's crafty artifice used by the wily, purely with an intention to deceive.Human weakness for praise is not of recent origin. In fact, in our epics, praise has been used rather often as an effective ruse, to disarm & hypnotize enemies in vulnerable moments through eulogies. For a Ramayana recall .. Rama & Laxmana are on the Rishimukh mountains frantically searching for Sita. Monkey-king Sugriva mistakes them as his brother Valli's agents in disguise, sent to liquidate him. He wants to cautiously find out the truth. Sugriva tells Hanumana (his follower) to disguise like a Sanyasi & praise both with eulogies to gain confidence. And as they down their guards in vunerable moments, he suggests that Hanumana should attempt to find out the fact. Using the praise code to open the most complicated of a securely closed heart, is an old trick. Despite such learnings, corporate leadership continues to be extremely vulnerable to the deception. Leaders believe such 'praise laced flattery' & live to repent the trust reposed in such deception. But by then it is too late for encounter. Dear Leader, be smart. Be sharp. Above all, be wise.