Brownnosers

Brownnosers, or brown-nosed individuals, are people who attempt to advance themselves by excessive flattery of those in authority. They often align their statements with a supervisor’s views, praise appearances or achievements, and comply with requests beyond merit, with the aim of gaining favorable treatment, promotion, or avoidance of punishment.

The term is slang in English, with the exact origin uncertain and attested in mid-20th-century American usage. The phrase implies a performative act of kissing up to power rather than sincere praise.

Common contexts include workplaces, schools, and politics. Behavior includes constant praise, agreeing with leaders’ opinions, volunteering risky tasks to curry favor, and downplaying or excusing dissenting colleagues. It is often contrasted with legitimate, merit-based performance.

Impact can include distorted evaluations, reduced trust, lower morale, and stifled innovation. It may create favoritism and undermine organizational culture, particularly where feedback mechanisms are weak. Critics argue that excessive flattery erodes fairness and can undermine accountability.

Mitigation involves clear performance criteria, transparent feedback, anonymous reporting channels, and rewards that emphasize outcomes over flattery. Healthy cultures encourage constructive dissent, provide objective evaluation processes, and protect individuals who raise concerns about favoritism or misconduct.

See also: sycophancy, impression management, organizational culture, meritocracy.