Criticism Sandwich Is Off the Menu

By: Suzanne Sillett, Vice President, Education and Innovation, Positive Coaching Alliance

We’ve probably all heard about the criticism sandwich, a piece of constructive criticism sandwiched between two compliments. However, research has shown the sandwich is not effective and usually is only a way to make the person giving the feedback feel better. It doesn’t necessarily help the receiver of the feedback. 

David Yeager, PhD describes the Mentor’s Dilemma as being hard to simultaneously criticize someone and motivate them because criticism can crush a young person’s confidence.

As a coach, I have often felt this dilemma. Countless times I have stood on a field with an athlete overtalking and providing non-related praise because I was nervous to provide clear and transparent feedback on where they needed to improve. Simply put, I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. 

I always knew this approach didn’t really go over very well. The athletes saw right through it and the criticism sandwich, while intended to be helpful, didn’t have the impact I was looking for. What I’ve learned over the years from coaching 5 year olds to college athletes, is that when you demonstrate you care about your athletes, they respond well to truthful and specific feedback, and the research supports this.

So why does the Criticism Sandwich not land well with young athletes:

• When you try to ‘soften the blow’ of criticism with two, not related, pieces of positive feedback, it leads the receiver confused (Adam Grant 2024). Should I believe I’m doing a good job because you gave me two positives and only one negative? Should I keep doing more of the positives, or stop doing the behavior you criticized?

• The Criticism Sandwich leaves the receiver feeling like the compliments are not meaningful and were just made up to make it easier to hear the criticism. (Kim Scott, Radical Candor)

As Yeager explains, when young people are being critiqued by an authority figure, they are asking themselves a deeper question: Does this person who has power over me think I’m incompetent?

Imagine you’re a basketball player on defense. Your coach says to you: “Nice hustle, you really need to close down the player with the ball, good work keep it up”

Clearly in this scenario the coach is trying to get their athlete to defend closer to the opponent, but instead of just saying that, they muddle the feedback with unrelated praise. This can leave the athlete unsure of what to focus on, wondering whether the compliments were true, and potentially distracted from defending that opponent with the ball!

Instead try this: “I need you to close down your opponent faster. I know it’s a lot of ground to cover, but if you anticipate and get off the mark a little quicker, I know you can do it”

• It’s clear and concise. The athlete knows what is expected of them.
• It sets a high standard and supports the athlete by providing a coaching strategy and belief in their ability to get it done.
• By giving constructive feedback separately it allows the coach to provide meaningful praise at just the right time, when you see the athlete having success.

So as you go out and coach your athletes, remember this: before athletes can hear your critical feedback as something you intend, a way to improve their performance, they need to know you care about them and believe in them.

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