Feedback Sandwich vs Benevolent Honesty: Which Is Better?

The feedback sandwich, which begins with a positive, shares the negative, and ends with a positive, is how most of us were taught to give constructive criticism.

Alas, the feedback sandwich is usually difficult to swallow.

 

The underlying issues of the feedback sandwich

The sandwich's main point, "you run over everyone else with your facts and figures" was undeniably correct. However, the bread, one of the two positives, did not lessen the blow. In fact, it irritates people.

The sandwich effectively says, "I need to give you negative feedback, but first, I'll say something nice to make you think I don't like you. Then I'll say something pleasant to you so you don't resent me after you leave."

This is the issue with the feedback sandwich. The recipients feel duped. Even if they don't at first, give it time: Because our excellent traits tend to be consistent, the same bread eventually starts to taste stale.

And what about the possibility of positive change? According to a study published in Management Review Quarterly in 2018, the feedback sandwich seldom works to correct negative or subpar behaviours.

 

Benevolent Honesty

The authors of research published in Current Opinion in Psychology call the better strategy "benevolent honesty."

According to the researchers:

We propose that that a better approach is benevolent honesty, in which communicators focus on delivering negative information truthfully and directly, but also employ additional strategies to ensure that their words actually lead to long-term improvement.

For example, a professor might emphasize that a student is capable of achieving high standards when giving critical feedback. Though this strategy might seem intuitive, communicators often fail to make their benevolent intentions clear -- they seem to forget (at least in the moment) that (others) do not have access to that same information.

Their findings are consistent with a 2014 study that found that incorporating one line can increase feedback effectiveness by up to 40%:

 

The differences between Feedback Sandwich and Benevolent Honesty

"I'm giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them."

That statement carries three unique signals:

• You are a member of this group.

• This group is unique and we have higher expectations.

• I believe you are capable of meeting these expectations.

The end effect is more akin to a relationship sandwich than a feedback sandwich.

There is no tampering. There are no platitudes. Not insignificant praise. There is no false hope. Just straightforward feedback wrapped in a message of connection, belonging, and trust. That is the fundamental distinction between a feedback sandwich and benevolent honesty.

The feedback sandwich, in theory, aids the feedback giver in reducing the likelihood of conflict during a difficult talk. ("If I throw in a few compliments, maybe he won't get mad.")

However, how a difficult talk may feel to the one providing feedback is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is whether or whether the feedback assists the recipient in improving their performance, and a feedback sandwich is horrible at producing that.

Forget the feedback sandwich the next time you need to have a difficult talk with an employee – or with anyone. Forget about starting and ending with a compliment. Instead, be straightforward and honest while demonstrating that you care about that person's performance or well-being because you care about them.

That you want the talk to make things better for them and not only to make things easy for you.

 

Source: Inc