Stop using the compliment sandwich to give feedback

Stop using the compliment sandwich to give feedbackStop using the compliment sandwich to give feedbackYouve heard this one. Manager to employee I really like how well you worked with others on this project, but it wouldve been better if you delved a lot deeper into this specific topic in your report. Youve been doing such afantastic job lately.You know when your manager gives you feedback by telling you what you did well, only to follow it with bad news, then more of the good stuff?This method goes by various names online, like the feedback sandwich, the compliment sandwich and the sandwich approach.While popular, heres the problem with it It doesnt work. Burying criticism between compliments often confuses the recipient about where the emphasis lies. Despite the fact that it makes us feel better about giving negative feedback, the compliment sandwich isnt an effective way to communicate. Here are a few reasons why supervisors should stop doling this confused rhetoric out by the poun d.Your employees arent listening to youThe biggest problem with the compliment sandwich is that the jig is up everyone is now trained to expect criticism after a compliment. Neither one gets heard. Adam Grant writes about what he learned from data on this topic in an article about the feedback sandwich on LinkedIn.Problem 1 the positives fall on deaf ears. When people hear praise during a feedback conversation, they brace themselves. Theyre waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it makes the opening compliment seem insincere. You didnt really mean it you were just trying to soften the blow, he writes.Its so easy to get caught up in what you did wrong, as opposed to what you did right.After describing another issue, Grant writes about four ways to make your criticism feel constructive, some of which feature cited evidence. He says to departure by telling them why youre making comments about their performance, then remove yourself from a pedestal, then ask if theyre open to hearing w hat you have to say, and finally to deliver it clearly- not in a manipulative way.It makes the positive feedback less specialWhen you pair compliments with criticism, you make compliments cheaper. Susan M. Heathfield explores this in an article on The Balance.Positive feedback is a powerful tool that managers can use to communicate the value of the employees work and contribution to the organization. It reinforces behaviors that youd like to see more of on the job. The feedback sandwich diminishes the value and the power of the positive, reinforcing feedback that is delivered during the same message or meeting, she writes.Dont lessen the impact of your positive words.The next time youre tempted to smother your constructive criticism in praise, resist the urge to do so.It doesnt help the person make changesCompliment sandwiches relay general opinions - both good and bad - but they dont guide the employee to change their behavior and do anything positive. More helpful feedback help s the employee know what they could improve and lets them take responsibility for making the change This report is good, but it could be better. How can we do that?Either way, a more direct approach helps people know whats expected of them. Compliment sandwiches arent getting things done, and its time to stop them.