1. Read the room. In the tech industry, turning up in a suit might signal that you don't understand the people you're talking to, that you're overly stiff and formal, and don't know how to have fun. Wearing a suit is often uncomfortable, and for creative work, you need to be as physically comfortable as possible, so wearing a suit might signal that you don't understand this and won't be working at your best. If you turn up to a non-corporate environment looking "corporate", you may be greeted with a certain level of mistrust ("Uh-oh, check out the stiff in a suit"). Better to replace this advice with "dress appropriate to the situation you're in and the people you're with".

3. It also helps to slightly lower the pitch of your voice if you can. Deeper voices are soothing, and people like that.

4. Your coworkers are not your rivals, they are your friends. Even your competitors are potential friends. True strategy is doing something sufficiently differently that people will choose you uniquely over other choices - so, people choose McDonald's and Wagamama for different reasons - there's plenty of room for both. Apple people really love Apple and Samsung people really love Samsung. P&G have even been known to licence products to competitors when it's in their mutual interest. So, those praising words ought to be heartfelt and genuine.

Scientifically, yes, when you praise someone it does create a halo effect so that people associate you with those traits, but that's not why you do it. It's the natural result of loving people, and if you're in a healthy company, there'll be opportunities for everyone.