The "compliment sandwich" is also referred to as the Sandwich Feedback Technique and it involves delivering a piece of constructive criticism, nestled softly between the appealing offer of positive reinforcement and praise. If you want to tell your friend that you're tired of them complaining all the time for example (criticism), you might want to soften the blow first by focusing on something positive to say first and afterward.

Some people just like to be direct, so they don't need any praise and they just want to get straight to the point. But not everyone is like that and many people will view it as a negative attack if you start to approach them with a bunch of things you don't like about them, or tell them things that they are doing wrong.

The Sandwich Feedback Technique is a simple technique that many people employ who need just a little assistance when it comes to saying something to others that they might not want to hear.

How it Works

This feedback technique doesn't only have to be used in a professional setting but that is where most people are referring to when they talk about using it. Whenever employees are doing wrong, unsafe, or unfair things etc, then the employer can easily turn to this approach in order to try and communicate what is necessary to tell that employee.

One mistake that can be easily made is when the praise serves no function and feels more like unnecessary fluff. It's much more effective of a technique when it's sincere praise and when the compliment actually speaks to a habit, to the character, or performance of an individual etc.

Those who use the approach defend it with reasons like:

• it eases the process of giving negative feedback to others
• it's a useful method to balance the feedback
• it's going to reduce discomfort for the receiver of the negative feedback

The Compliment Sandwich Isn't For Everybody

Critics of the approach say that it's not the most effective way to get across feedback because most people these days when they hear the positive, they will begin to anticipate that the negative news will be following afterward. And if you try to be too sincere about the praise, really trying to focus on the positive so that they aren't hurt too disappointing by the negative, then critics also suggest that the receiver will pay too much attention to the positive. If that is the case then then criticism will fall on deaf ears.

Some people don't think that the praise is necessary when giving feedback to others, and instead they put operate with the idea that you should just be straight forward with the person, tell them why you are giving them the feedback in the first place, and that this will improve the chances of that feedback being received and potentially acted upon.

Despite the critics however, others will swear by this process and affirm that it's an effective leadership tool that works really well for them.

It's a communication tool that doesn't only have to be used in professional workplace settings, but can also be used in personal relationships or at school, with members of a sports team, etc. The most common setting where this technique has been investigated, has been in regards to receiving feedback in a workplace setting. And despite some people seeing flaws with the technique, it's still an overwhelming popular choice for employers and others who might be looking to deliver some necessary feedback to those around them.

Pics:
Pixabay

Sources:
http://aabri.com/manuscripts/141831.pdf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-serving-feedback-sandwich-adam-grant
https://hbr.org/2013/04/the-sandwich-approach-undermin