Research shows ‘compliment sandwich’ no longer effective
(news.westernu.ca)
from Pro@mander.xyz to science@mander.xyz on 25 Aug 2025 08:59
https://mander.xyz/post/36648858
from Pro@mander.xyz to science@mander.xyz on 25 Aug 2025 08:59
https://mander.xyz/post/36648858
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We call it a shit sandwich here
Pretty sure everywhere calls it that. The article euphemizing it by renaming a sandwich for the bread and not the contents in the middle is just a lack of creativity.
No more complimentary sandwich with my order of soup? 😞
No soup for you!
Plot twist: it never was 🖕🏽
It works the first couple of times the receiver gets feedback that way. In their entire lives.
I’ve realized that what the article says applies to me – it can be hard to receive positive feedback when you’re anticipating the upcoming “constructive feedback”.
And then you’re left wondering how hard it was for them to come up with the positive stuff. Is the positive stuff all fake just for the purposes of wrapping the “constructive” part?
Frankly, it’s always seemed to me like a polishing of the turd inherent to “Nothing matters before the ‘but’.” It’s exactly that old bullshit, plus another pandering half-thought at the end. The shit sandwich is the fastest way to lose my interest, much less respect. 🤌🏼
This sounds like too many people only offer compliments immediately before a complaint. Further down, the article lists alternate strategies, but never gets to the idea of giving intermittent positive reinforcement.
It literally skips the greatest tool in behavior modification?! Big oof
It’s so easy to underestimate positive reinforcement, but it can make a big difference.
Personally, I don’t mind receiving a compliment sandwich as long as the compliments are genuine, and the criticism is constructive.
I can tell when people are doing it, but still appreciate the effort when it’s done right. There are probably better strategies to use, but definitely prefer that to the ultra negative shit on everything management style. I had a boss like that for ~2 years, and it just made every aspect of work so miserable.
Jfc, it never was effective. Anyone who has ever taken this formula seriously is an emotional moron.