Leadership Series - Part I - Critcism is a Sandwich

I have been thinking a lot about the subject of criticism lately. Not because I have been overly criticised, but I have been reading about authors who have received negative criticism about their work. I have also been back at work on contract, which is giving me flashbacks to my 33-year career, mostly as a manager. Believe me, after that length of time, you get to know what works and what doesn't!

Everyone is placed in a situation where they have to criticize others from time to time. Whether we are managers, reviewers, parents, shoppers, etc. the situation arises. It is often an uncomfortable situation to be in. There is a way to do it that may not be understood by many.

There is a trick to criticism that can make it inspirational. Being critical for the sake of criticizing doesn't work! Oh, it will for awhile. The person on the end of the criticism will react positively for a period of time...probably more out of fear than anything. Inevitably, the person being criticized will tune out.

When the tune out occurs, and it won't take that long, the person doing the criticizing is finished as a manager or reviewer or whatever role he/she is playing. Any influence, respect or credibility the manager/reviewer has will become lost. Think of the coach of any sports organization who "loses" the team, or even one superstar. It isn't the team/superstar that goes. It is the coach.

I like to think of criticism as a sandwich. The critique is the meat of the sandwich but it should be covered top and bottom with positive reinforcement. Everyone reacts to positive reinforcement and if it surrounds a bit of criticism, that criticism is more likely to be heard and reacted upon. Let me give you a very simple example:

Top of sandwich - Overall, I think your work was excellent.
Meat - I thought you might have been able to improve it by doing this and this and (this is important) here is why...
Bottom of sandwich - Keep up the great work and please consider the suggestions for improvement.

I spent the last 10 years of my career directing a group in a pressure cooker to account for, analyse and report on over $300 billion of the Canadian federal government's revenues. Yes, that's billion with a "b." I had over 50 people reporting to me and we successfully did our job month after month and year after year. But there is one thing of which I am particularly proud. I am still friends with many of them seven years later!

I am convinced that the only way to properly critique someone and expect something in return is by using the sandwich technique. Try it! It worked for me!

Since I am on the subject of leadership/reviewing, I will post next time on "Owning Your Mistakes."

Please let me have your views on the subject.