{"id":1732,"date":"2018-08-01T13:14:59","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T13:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/?p=1732"},"modified":"2023-05-31T04:39:23","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T08:39:23","slug":"the-sandwich-technique-should-leaders-use-it-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/the-sandwich-technique-should-leaders-use-it-or-not\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201cSandwich Technique\u201d: Should Leaders Use It or Not?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One of the most divisive techniques in leadership development is the \u201cSandwich Technique.\u201d \u00a0If you\u2019re not familiar with it, the Sandwich Technique is where you start a prepared conversation with a subordinate by saying something positive, then covering something negative, and concluding with something positive. \u00a0You \u201csandwich\u201d the one negative between two positives.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of the Sandwich Technique point out that the technique avoids the morale-crushing results of having a conversation based completely on a negative topic. \u00a0Opponents feel that it serves to bury constructive criticism in situations where it needs to be clearly and decisively delivered.<\/p>\n<p>While I do agree that the Sandwich Technique can be a cowardly way to address a problem, I also think that it can be effective when used well in appropriate situations.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say that you are a leader introducing an organizational transformation. \u00a0Transformations involve big change and, if you haven\u2019t heard, people are uncomfortable with big change.<\/p>\n<p>So, the last way that you want to start a conversation is by telling people they need to deal with inevitable and imminent change. \u00a0Instead, you want to get people fired up about what you envision the future to look like and how it will be great for the organization as well as your audience. \u00a0Only then will you be able to get them able to understand that change is the price to pay for better days.<\/p>\n<p>But, you also don\u2019t want your audience to walk away with the discomfort of change and the additional work involved occupy their minds and perhaps cause them to lose sleep. \u00a0So, you don\u2019t want to end with a message of uncomfortable change, either. \u00a0That\u2019s why you complete the \u201csandwich\u201d with a reminder of the positivity that the future holds.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s an effective use of the Sandwich Technique in leadership. \u00a0The end goal of that conversation is to motivate employees to help your vision reach fruition, not simply to tell them how difficult life will be for a while.<\/p>\n<p>An ineffective use is reprimanding an employee for mistakes or customer complaints. \u00a0The end goal for this conversation\u00a0is to correct a problem.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine that you say to this employee, \u201cAlexa, you\u2019ve been doing a good job. \u00a0I really admire how you show up for work on time every day, you comply with our dress code, and you always respond to me promptly. \u00a0However, we have had multiple internal customers complain about you being abrasive with them. \u00a0I\u2019d really like you to be a little more friendly with them. \u00a0But, again, I think you\u2019re a great employee and I appreciate what you do. \u00a0Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, that presentation you prepared last week was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s the employee going to think after this conversation? \u00a0That she is doing \u00a0good job? A bad job? \u00a0A mixed job?<\/p>\n<p>Will Alexa get the message that there\u2019s a serious problem that needs to be remedied immediately? \u00a0Or did that little \u201cconstructive criticism meat\u201d get lost between two thick pieces of \u201ccompliment bread?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/courage-important-leadership-ingredient\">Courageous leaders<\/a>\u00a0don\u2019t cut off problems at the pass by being so indirect. \u00a0They nip them in the proverbial bud instead of using the Sandwich Technique.<\/p>\n<p>So, my advice is to have the Sandwich Technique in your tool box. \u00a0Just be sure to use the right tool in the right situation. \u00a0You don\u2019t use a hammer to drive a screw.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"row-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/leveraging-competitive-advantage\/\" aria-label=\"\u201cThe Case for Leveraging Competitive Advantage\u201d (Edit)\">The Case for Leveraging Competitive Advantage<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"row-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/let-procurement-leadership-transition-like-sunrise\/\" aria-label=\"\u201cLet Your Procurement Leadership Transition Be Like A Sunrise\u201d (Edit)\">Let Your Procurement Leadership Transition Be Like A Sunrise<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"row-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/5-common-mistakes-derail-sourcing-process\/\" aria-label=\"\u201c5 Common Mistakes That Could Derail Your Sourcing Process\u201d (Edit)\">5 Common Mistakes That Could Derail Your Sourcing Process<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"row-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/loud-blast-procurement-achievements\/\" aria-label=\"\u201cHow Loud Should You Blast Your Procurement Achievements?\u201d (Edit)\">How Loud Should You Blast Your Procurement Achievements?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"row-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/problems-textbook-chain-command-solution\/\" aria-label=\"\u201cProblems With the Textbook Chain of Command, And a Solution\u201d (Edit)\">Problems With the Textbook Chain of Command, And a Solution<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the most divisive techniques in leadership development is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.4 (Yoast SEO v19.13) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The \u201cSandwich Technique\u201d: Should Leaders Use It or Not? 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