If done in the wrong way, criticism can break a relationship or leave someone feeling bad or upset. When critiquing, you want to avoid these negative emotions at all cost, after all criticizing is meant to help someone improve, not bring them down.
Is there a way to criticize in a positive, uplifting way? Of course there is!
The Sandwich Method
Many have found the Sandwich Method the most successful avenue for giving constructive criticism, feedback and delivering bad news. The method is simple and quite effective. The Sandwich Method consists of delivering two positives with a negative criticism sandwiched in between, hence the “Sandwich Method.”
Why is it Effective
Unlike delivering straight criticism which focuses on the negative, the Sandwich Method focuses on the big picture (positive and negative). For example, instead of telling someone that you didn’t like the report they wrote up for X Y and Z reasons, tell them what you thought was good on the report, what they need to improve and end with what else you thought was good. This maintains and grows good relationships with others.
Unlike delivering straight criticism which focuses on the negative, the Sandwich Method focuses on the big picture (positive and negative). For example, instead of telling someone that you didn’t like the report they wrote up for X Y and Z reasons, tell them what you thought was good on the report, what they need to improve and end with what else you thought was good. This maintains and grows good relationships with others.
In business and in life, relationships are the key to almost everything, delivering feedback, criticism or bad news in this manor protects you from losing those relationships you have worked so hard to gain.
The post The Best Way to Deliver Criticism first appeared on Advisors to the Ultra-Affluent – Groco.
