If you want to be a better boss, science says stop serving feedback sandwiches |
I was taught to use a so-called “feedback sandwich” to give constructive feedback: lead with a positive, share the negative, finish with a positive. The idea was . . . well, I don’t know what the idea was. I guess to soften the “room for improvement” blow?
All I know is that the feedback sandwich rarely worked.
Especially on me.
Take the time a boss told me, “I really appreciate how you always come prepared to the supervisor meetings. But you sometimes run over people with all your facts, and figures, and productivity results. Even so, you’re a valuable member of the team.”
The meat of the sandwich, the “you sometimes run over people with your facts and figures,” was admittedly true.
But the bread, the two positives, didn’t soften the blow. In fact, the bread made me feel manipulated. And kind of pissed me off.
That’s because a sandwich in effect says, “I need to give you negative feedback . . . but first I’ll say something nice so you won’t think I hate you. And then I’ll say something nice so you won’t be mad at me when you leave.”
That’s the problem with the feedback sandwich. The recipients feel manipulated.
And........