Constructive communication – compliment sandwich      

The sandwich feedback technique is a popular three-step procedure. It is quite simple. It goes ”you are valuable employee” (Praise and Acknowledgment), followed by ” but this area needs improvement etc”  (Area for Improvement) and finished with “good job, thank you” (Encouragement).

Layered structure of sandwich feedback was delivered as easy way to provide negative feedback in opportunitial and constructive way. It is criticism expressed in positive words of encouragement and appreciation.

As people intent to prioritise first and last words with rest of the content somewhere between. We could argue if it is effective or not. Well I would say good manager knows his people and will know where to use it or maybe be more direct. But in both scenarios there is good point in that method. Although people probably will do same amount of work in short term when error is pointed to them either way. Showing appreciations and involvement ads this human-understanding feeling. Where it was proven that people are more enthusiastic and motivated when they are feeling as good small part of bigger picture. Even then, especially in corporate environment no one beside line manager will be bothered to notice that. It still matters to the people.

Let me tell small story here I’ve heard from one of the priests. He was walking on the beach on holidays. Because of some weather disruptions there was plenty of small fishes. Waves through them on the coast-sandy beach. He noticed little girl picking those fishes one by one and bringing them back to the waters of the sea. Because there was huge number of them, her work was pretty unnoticeable in overall picture. Quite Sisyphean job you could call it. So he asks her why she keeps doing that, she can’t rescue all of them. She replied, “becouse what I do does matter a lot to those I’ve saved”.

Sarah

Very nice, i suggest webmaster can set up a forum, so that we can talk and communicate.

4 September 11 at 09:29