Imagine you are a team leader and one of your direct reports has been underperforming lately. For example, let’s say that they have consistently been missing deadlines.
As a manager, it is your duty to discuss the issue with your employee, but you might be unsure of the best way to bring the topic up with them.
You don’t want to be insensitive and hurt the employee, but still, you want to be able to talk openly to them and solve the problem.
What could you do? This is where a communication technique, such as the feedback sandwich technique, can be very useful. So, let’s find out more about what the feedback sandwich method is and how to use it effectively to improve communication at work.
What Is the Feedback Sandwich Technique?
The feedback sandwich technique is a communication method frequently used in the workplace and in teaching to give constructive feedback in a considerate way.
The way the feedback sandwich approach works is by giving:
- Positive feedback first (so that the person feels appreciated and is not on the defensive)
- Constructive feedback to follow (i.e., the things that did not go well and need improving)
- Positive feedback at the end (to finish on a high note so that the last feeling the receiver experiences about the interaction is positive)
One of the questions I frequently hear being asked about the feedback sandwich technique is: “Who invented the feedback sandwich method?”
Nobody knows, in truth, who invented this feedback approach as such, but the expression “feedback sandwich” was made popular in the 1980s by the entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash in her book Mary Kay on People Management (more recently republished as The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles From America’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur), where she advises managers to “Sandwich every bit of criticism between two heavy layers of praise”.
Since then, the feedback sandwich technique has become popular and has been widely used in business and teaching.
Some people argue that the feedback sandwich approach is now dated, i.e. it is ineffective and there are better ways to provide feedback.
This may be true if you use this communication strategy too much or in the wrong way. However, if you use the feedback sandwich technique appropriately there is still a place for it in today’s workplace communication.
The 3 Steps of the Feedback Sandwich
To start understanding more about how to use this feedback method effectively, let’s discuss in more detail the 3 stages of the feedback sandwich technique.
Step 1. The Positive Opening (The First Slice of Bread)
The first step of the feedback sandwich approach is very important and it focuses on positive feedback in order to:
- Build rapport – because acknowledging something positive about the other person is likely to make them feel accepted and it can break down barriers, thus creating trust.
- Reduce defensiveness – as it makes the other person feel you recognize their input.
- Creates motivation – as praise acts as positive reinforcement.
For example, if you want to give someone feedback on a presentation they have given, you might say something like: “I want to take a moment to recognize your creativity in the recent project presentation. Your unique ideas really engaged the team and provided valuable insights.”
Step 2. Constructive Criticism (The Filling)
This is the part where you deliver the less positive bit of information. Ensure though that you know how to give constructive feedback.
There are many ways to deliver constructive feedback in a considerate yet effective way, such as being specific, offering examples, and focusing on behavior rather than personality.
You can find more tips on the topic in our posts on the Characteristics of Good Feedback and Examples of Bad Feedback (and How to Make Them Constructive).
A very important point though, in providing constructive feedback, is that you need to offer solutions, come up with solutions together with the other person, or at least help them work out how to improve.
You can’t just tell them what is wrong.
For example, following from the example given in the previous step, you could say something like:
“While I found your creative ideas in the presentation impressive, I noticed that a few key points were unclear. For instance, when we discussed the budget projections, some team members did not understand how those numbers aligned with our overall goals. In the future, it might be helpful to include a brief summary of key financial data and how it supports the project objectives to avoid confusion. What do you think?”
Step 3. The Positive Closing (The Second Slice of Bread)
Ending the feedback sandwich on a positive note is essential for three reasons:
- It helps the other person feel valued and makes them feel good about themselves.
- It is an encouragement to take feedback on board and apply it to future situations.
- It creates positivity and makes it more likely that they will feel comfortable seeking your feedback and support in the future.
For instance, following from the previous example, you could say something along these lines to your employee:
“I appreciate your creativity and passion; they’re valuable to our team. With more focus on clarity in your presentations, I’m confident you’ll excel. I’m here to help if you need feedback or support. I look forward to seeing your ideas in our next project!”
Examples of the Feedback Sandwich Technique in Action
Here are two real-world examples of the feedback sandwich technique, that you might find useful to get some ideas on how you could use this feedback technique at work.
Example 1: Performance Review
A manager is giving feedback to an employee, called Maria, who has great interpersonal skills but is not so good at meeting deadlines. The manager could provide this kind of feedback:
Step 1
“Maria, in the past year you have shown that you are great with people. The customers give excellent feedback about you, and the way you relate to other team members has greatly contributed to the success of the recent projects.”
Step 2
“However, I have noticed that you missed the last three deadlines. This has put great pressure on the team, as we rely on getting these reports on time.
For example, the last time, a delay in receiving the report meant that we had to rush preparing the presentation for our client, at the risk of making mistakes and losing the contract.”
Step 3
“I am certain that if you make some adjustments in how you manage your time, you can solve this issue and become even better at your job. Maybe we can set up weekly check-ins to help you stay on track with deadlines?
I’m here to support you with this. Your contributions are valuable, and I’m excited to see how you can improve in this area over the next year!”
Example 2: Team Feedback
A manager is giving feedback to her team following a project they have just completed. The manager might say:
Step 1
“Team, I am really impressed by how hard you worked together during the last project and how effectively and creatively you solved the problems and challenges we faced.”
Step 2
“That said, I noticed that we struggled with communication and coordination. For example, I noticed that some of you were not aware of some last-minute changes to the project.
As a result, they carried out some tasks that were no longer needed and were redundant, which affected our productivity and the speed with which we finished the project.”
Step 3
“For the future, I suggest we use a shared project management tool so we are all aware of what tasks need to be performed, who is doing what, and if there are any changes.
I really value your input and your incredible skills, and I’m confident that by being more coordinated in the future, we can achieve even greater results together in our next project!”
When and Where to Use the Feedback Sandwich Technique
If you want the feedback sandwich approach to work, you need to use it at the appropriate time and place. Let’s find out in which situations this communication approach is most suitable and when it is not.
Appropriate Situations to Use the Feedback Sandwich
Performance Reviews: these are formal situations in which you sit down with your employee and discuss their achievements and the areas where they need to improve.
So, during performance reviews, this format works well as you acknowledge their achievements and strengths first (thus providing positive reinforcement); then address any areas on which they need to improve; and finish off with a word of encouragement.
Coaching and Mentoring Sessions: the role of coaches and mentors is to foster a person’s development. This involves both giving your coachees or mentees confidence and highlighting the areas that need working on.
So, the feedback sandwich technique is perfect for giving a coaching or mentoring session a good structure by starting with the positives, addressing the areas for improvement, and finishing on a positive note (to reinforce confidence and motivation).
Team Development Meetings and Project Debriefs: in these situations, a manager gives feedback to their team, either to review their performance as a team in general or to look back at a specific project they completed and assess the results.
So, just like for a one-to-one review, you want to acknowledge your team’s achievements first, then address anything that needs improvement and finish with words of encouragement and motivation.
When the Feedback Sandwich Is Not Ideal
Urgent or Immediate Feedback: in cases of emergency or when you need to address a problem quickly, you don’t have time to follow the feedback sandwich structure.
Addressing the issue directly, in these cases, is more effective and faster.
Highly Sensitive Situations: when you are dealing with problems that arise from personal issues or conflict between team members, it may be better to have an open and straightforward conversation.
Using the feedback sandwich method in these situations may come across as insensitive and fake. Also, it may feel like you are trivializing the issue, so having a more serious and direct approach instead may be better.
When Overused: if you overuse the feedback sandwich, it may lose effectiveness as your employees will think you are being insincere.
In other words, employees will think that you use the positive feedback just as a strategy to soften the blow of the negative feedback, and will not take any feedback you give them seriously anymore.
Cultural considerations: in some organizations, direct feedback is more valued. So, before using the feedback sandwich technique, you may want to understand the organizational culture of the company in which you work.
>> See the Feedback Training Materials
Pros and Cons of the Feedback Sandwich Approach
Here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of the feedback sandwich approach, so you can have a better idea of whether it is suitable for you and when to use it.
Pros:
- It makes people feel less defensive
- Boosts morale (because of the positive elements)
- Encourages balanced feedback
- It may work better for dealing with employees who may be more sensitive to criticism
Cons:
- Can feel inauthentic (especially if overused or if you rush through the positive feedback parts)
- Can dilute the impact of constructive feedback
- Can become predictable if overused
- Is not suitable for urgent feedback
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To finish this article on the feedback sandwich technique, it is worth pointing out some common mistakes people make when they use it, that you might want to avoid:
- Giving inauthentic praise – don’t give praise just to follow the formula. Praise must be sincere.
- Providing too much criticism – you want to find the right balance, otherwise the other person may feel overwhelmed if you give too much criticism at once.
- Failing to follow up – remember to check progress after giving feedback, otherwise the employee might think it was pointless.
Training Employees on Giving and Receiving Feedback
Being able to give and receive feedback is a great skill to have for both managers and employees and the great news is that this is a skill that can be learned.
If you are a corporate training facilitator or work in HR or in a training and development department, these training course materials on giving and receiving feedback, which are ready-made and fully editable, might be of great help to you.
Owner at Symonds Research Training Materials
Valeria has a PhD in Sociology, has 25 years+ working in education, has taught at the University of Bath &Cardiff Metropolitan University, & Hankuk University (Korea) & worked as a researcher for Exeter University, & has many years of industry experience including with Cardiff University in management roles. She now creates training course materials courseware.