Fix What’s Broke About Feedback
Improvement always begins with feedback. People never improve until they know how they’re doing. Self-defeating behaviors persist in low-feedback environments.
Feedback sandwich:
The feedback sandwich is filled with baloney. It follows this pattern. Begin and end with praise. Slip the baloney in the middle. It feels disingenuous when praise is preparation for bad news.
We ignore the sweet and anticipate the bitter when praise is used to prep for bad. A spoonful of sugar before corrective conversations dilutes compliments.
Reject the feedback sandwich. Do this instead:
#1. Go dark first.
Describe what isn’t working and why it matters at the beginning. Be specific. Focus on patterns. Begin with, “I want us to discuss something that’s holding you back.” Just get to it.
- I noticed you look at your feet when speaking with direct reports.
- Your voice grew louder when you brought up a difficult topic.
- You interrupted people while they were talking.
- You delegated tasks that aren’t getting done.
- You were 5-minutes late for our meeting.
#2. Get practical second.
What does success look like?
What will be true when this issue is resolved?
Identify positive behaviors. It’s not enough to stop self-defeating behaviors. Adopting new behaviors turns people toward the future. For example, what positive behavior will replace interrupting?
#3. Go bright last.
What makes you believe progress is likely? Describe strengths and personal qualities that enable success. Be genuine. For example, “I’ve seen you overcome many challenges. I’m confident you’ll succeed here as well.
What challenges have they overcome? How do those qualities apply now?
Tip: Marcus Buckingham said, “People don’t want feedback, they want attention.” When input is always negative it’s destructive. Focus on what’s working. It’s necessary to point out dysfunctional behaviors. But don’t live in the dark.
What factors make feedback most useful?
Glad to see you discuss the “feedback sandwich” process. I struggled with it and wondered why it didn’t come easy for me. So, I did use this suggested process for a long time without knowing it was OK! Thanks
Why waste compliments that are ignored because people are waiting for the “bad news?”
Feedback sandwich, for so many years that is what we have been trained to do.
When that information is laid out like it is here, it makes so much more sense. I myself have had trouble with applying the “feedback sandwich”. Thank you for this wonderful insight!
Best wishes moving forward, Deann. Thanks for the good word.
What factors make feedback most useful:
Are you communicating what people are expecting? In their book on feedback (Thanks for the Feedback) Stone/Heen talk about three different types of feedback: coaching, affirmation, evaluation. If both parties aren’t giving/receiving the same type, it may be confusing, if not downright messy.