"Is the 'Praise Sandwich' No Longer Effective? — Latest Research Shows the Right Balance Between 'Kindness' and 'Frankness'"

1. What We Learned: From the Conclusion

Professor Karen MacMillan and her colleagues at Ivey Business School reported that the "compliment sandwich" is ineffective and potentially counterproductive in today's workplace. Recipients perceive the compliments before and after as "padding," making it difficult to focus on the core areas for improvement, and even the positive evaluations can feel hollow. The research team summarized initial findings that an approach combining candor with compassion promotes trust, relationships, and behavioral change.Phys.orgWestern News

2. Research Background: Why the "Sandwich" Was Supported

Since the 1980s, the compliment sandwich has been popularized as a prescription to ease the "difficulty" of delivering negative feedback. The logic is simple—by including "padding," the recipient's defensive reactions are assumed to decrease. However, this assumption is easily undermined by the recipient's learning and insight. The repeated "format" is quickly recognized, and the very structure of positive→negative→positive becomes a warning signal. As a result, the core message becomes diluted and confused, casting a shadow on relationships.Western News

3. Clues from Empirical Research

The insights from Ivey are aimed at practitioners, but the limited effectiveness of the compliment sandwich is consistent with previous research. For instance, experiments using university student subjects have shown that the sandwich-style feedback is not significantly superior in learning outcomes, with risks of blurring the message's focus being highlighted.ScienceDirect

4. Why It Doesn't Work: Psychological Mechanisms

• Signal Dilution: Mixing conflicting messages (praise and criticism) in a short time confuses the recipient about which to prioritize.

• Transparency of Intent: Ritualistic praise is interpreted as "cover-up," leading to doubts about integrity.

• Predictability Leading to Alertness: Once the "sandwich" is recognized, the value of praise diminishes, and hyper-alertness to negative information occurs.Phys.org

5. Alternatives: Balancing Compassion and Candor

The research team proposes the slogan "Less bread, more candor" and presents five principles.

1. Preparation: Clarify objectives, examples, impacts, and opening remarks in advance.

2. Dialogue: Engage in two-way communication, listening to the recipient's perspective and circumstances.

3. Consideration for Relationships: Connect to the recipient's goals and interests, clarifying that you are "on their side."

4. Conclude with Agreement: Verbalize the next steps and follow-up commitments.

5. Continue as a Process: Do not end with a single instance; cycle through observation, reinforcement, and readjustment.Phys.orgWestern News

6. Applying to Practice: SBI Model and Radical Candor

• SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact)
  A universal model that succinctly conveys facts in the order of Situation→Behavior→Impact. Avoid evaluative language and personality labels, focusing on verifiable descriptions to reduce defensive reactions.CCL+1

• Radical Candor
  **Balancing Care Personally and Challenge Directly** to provide clear feedback without damaging relationships.radicalcandor.com+1

7. Specific Templates (Japanese Examples)

• Opening (Invitation to Agree)
  "I have feedback that could help your growth, [Name]. Do you have a few minutes now?"

• Present Facts with SBI
  Situation: "In yesterday's meeting with Client A"
  Behavior: "Five minutes after starting, the explanation deviated from the specifications, taking ten minutes to return to the client's questions."
  Impact: "The focus of the discussion was scattered, leaving some of the agreed items for the next meeting unresolved."

• Connect to Interests
  "I hear you're aiming to be the next lead PM. I believe this is a skill directly related to achieving that."

• Propose Options and Dialogue
  "Next time, would you like to try agreeing on the agenda at the start→declaring a time box if you deviate?"

• Agreement and Follow-up
  "Let's execute this at next week's regular meeting with Company A→I'll confirm with you for a minute before starting→and we'll have a five-minute reflection afterward, okay?"

8. Considerations in Japanese Workplaces

• Do not mistakenly express consideration for harmony as "ambiguity." Show consideration through phrasing and focusing on the recipient's success

  .

• In environments with strong seniority and hierarchical relationships

  , it is easier to accept feedback if you first agree on "expectations, roles, and goals."

• Ensure a private setting and time

  : Publicly pointing out improvements can damage "face." Conduct 1-on-1s briefly with prior agreement.

• Use practical language for rephrasing: Instead of negatives, conclude with "From next time, let's..." proposals for action.

9. Common Failures and Countermeasures

• Overuse of Praise: Genuine praise is necessary, but placing it as a "formula" before and after criticism undermines trust. →Provide praise independently and specifically (SBI).Phys.org

• Abstract and Personal Evaluations: "Low communication skills" does not lead to actionable behavior. →Break it down into observable behaviors and impacts.CCL

• One-off Advice: Do not expect change from a single instance. →Move to a loop of small experiments→observation→reinforcement.Phys.org

10. Implementation Plan for the Entire Team (90 Days)

0–30 Days: Micro-training on SBI/Radical Candor (60 minutes × 2 sessions) / Practice "invitation words" at the start of 1-on-1s with everyone.
31–60 Days: Each member creates an SBI memo once a week and conducts mutual reviews with colleagues. Praise is specified independently.
61–90 Days: Managers visualize the history of "agreement→experiment→follow-up" in a feedback log. Hold a case study meeting at the end of the month.

11. Case Studies (Short Examples)

• Product Development: Transparency in reporting deviations from specifications with SBI→reduction in QA defect rates.

• Sales: Highlighting blurred focus in proposals with SBI→recovery in win rates.

• Back Office: Shifting from blaming individuals for deadline delays to process agreements→reduction in overtime hours.

12. Counterarguments and Considerations

"People get hurt if not spoken to gently"
Counterproposal: Speak gently, but make the content clear (SBI). Compassion and candor can coexist.CCL##