(Photo by Stephen D)

If your client is asking for feedback (or if you’re giving your consultant feedback), it’s important to not only focus on what you say, but how you say it – for effectiveness’ sake. If you’re brutally honest, you may enforce your point, but you’ll build resentment which can reduce the desire to work harder.

The next time you need to give feedback, use the “sandwich principle” (2 pieces of bread with the good stuff in the middle):

Start by stating something you like about the submitted work (even if it’s something trivial – like how quickly the work was completed).

Next, list the specific things that need improvement. Don’t say “I don’t like what you did”.  Give tangible clues of what specifically you don’t like, and examples of things you do like (don’t make them guess).

Then end with something else you like about their work (maybe it’s something they did previously that you admire).

The “sandwich principle” works well psychologically since people remember the beginning and end of a meeting/presentation more than the middle. By starting/ending the feedback with things you like, you instill a positive feeling about the feedback – so the  “meat” of your feedback can be more easily digested.