Author: Juli Shulem
We all end up needing to have an Uncomfortable Conversations. We may have to share with someone our unmet expectations, disappointment, or actual annoyance. This could be with a direct report, our boss, a peer, a spouse, or maybe even a child. No one likes these situations, but we must deal with them appropriately in […]
We all end up needing to have an Uncomfortable Conversations. We may have to share with someone our unmet expectations, disappointment, or actual annoyance. This could be with a direct report, our boss, a peer, a spouse, or maybe even a child. No one likes these situations, but we must deal with them appropriately in order to address the issue at hand.
The “Sandwich Approach” concept isn’t new, but it might be new to you. It’s best used when you want to express your opinion, and deliver bad or ‘less than stellar’ news. It’s simple and based in psychology: It starts with a positive comment, then the ‘icky part/negative’ goes in the middle, followed by another positive point.
This technique can be a great way to express yourself without upsetting the other person as much through Uncomfortable Conversations. There are actually good and bad times to use this technique. It could backfire, for example, when giving feedback, particularly with direct reports. This article from Harvard Business Review explains how NOT to use the sandwich approach.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
When used at the right time, it can be wonderful. Consider you need to express your feelings about a recent work re-org. You can start by saying how much you respect the company and the people you work with (positive part of the sandwich).
Next you need to share the negative, or not-so-great part of your job: the area that is upsetting or not going well (the negative, or main part of the sandwich). Lastly, end on a positive note.
This helps deliver ‘less than glowing’ news by sandwiching it with very positive comments. Be authentic – and plan ahead what you need to say so it comes out as you wish. This prevents the receiver from becoming defensive.
If you are someone who shuns from speaking up and sharing your honest feelings – this approach might be a useful one for you.
This is not to say that every situation benefits from this approach. Sometimes a very direct comment is the best way to communicate – but when it is not – this approach can offer an effective way to share what is on your mind for an Uncomfortable Conversations.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
Author Profile
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
To succeed, you have to Training Others to establish boundaries. But boundaries are only as good as your ability to communicate them. If people don’t know your boundaries, they become ineffective and are more likely to be discarded. Training other people on your boundaries requires learning how to say no. That doesn’t […]
Acceptance – Cave In or Lean In?: “When you argue with reality you lose – but only 100% of the time.” Byron Katie I love Katie’s words because they speak to the simple truth – we can’t change reality. Yet there are times in our lives when we don’t like or want the reality we […]
“I’m getting angry at myself just practicing these things and why Your Team Isn’t Listening !” The comment by a business owner in my leadership training session caught me off guard. When I asked him to explain, he responded with, “I know the value of listening, but I won’t take the time to do it […]
In April, 2020 I wrote an article describing four possible scenarios for how the The Coronavirus Scenarios could play out: “Much Ado About Nothing”, “The Camel’s Straw”, “Spain Again” and “Walking the Tightrope”. At the time the cumulative number of global cases was 2 400 000 and deaths 165 000. Seven months later, the figures are 60 000 000 and […]
Speakers in the virtual space during this pandemic we have heard the word pivot frequently. And now it’s typical to hear phrases like “all Zoomed out”. In the world of events and training we are seeing a mixture of virtual, hybrid and face to face. No one expected this pandemic. While we continue to navigate […]
Three small steps to help you use New Research Authentic Leadership as your strategy to improve engagement and retain your talent. It seems just about every day your news feed has a new article talking about the (admittedly catchy) “Great Resignation. And geez, so sorry about adding yet another. I’m guessing just about every leader […]
When you first started your business, odds are you spent time setting goals and scheduling the components of your business plan so you can be ready to grow. But the bigger your business gets, the deeper into the weeds you go and the harder it is to prioritize these tasks. They seem “less important” […]
Companies are constantly adapting to provide Habits of Collaborative Leaders as the most efficient and productive work environments for the employees. The team – not the individual contributor – is the new secret for business success. U.S companies spent $12 billion on leadership development. 56% of company leaders say they will soon face a shortage […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
