Good day Team,
The coach’s challenge is to re-visit is what I call the delivery sandwich. We all know the shorthand of that: Good News/ Bad News/ Good News. Sandwich the bad news between two pieces of good news. Sandwich the weakness between two slices of strength. Sandwich the thing that needs to get fixed between two things that person does well, etc…
This shorthand approach works, sort of. Just like a glib, insincere compliment works…sort of. It’s easier to swallow some bad news in the moment, if it’s lubricated with a compliment. But is it any easier to digest? Slapping some meat between two slices of bread gives you a pretty darn mediocre sandwich that often falls apart while you’re handing it out.
One way the delivery sandwich works better is when we take the time to truly think about the person we’re about to talk with. We remind ourselves, most of all, about their strengths, their value, and place our message within the context of all that person brings to the table. Now when we talk with that person about whatever it was that needs addressing, we feel differently. Because we feel differently, we’re careful to present what we have so it can be utilized, not just swallowed.
Think about it. Have you ever had a bite of someone else’s sandwich in a restaurant or deli, that was absolutely fabulous? You ask what’s in it, and they name some ingredient that you usually can’t stand. But the whole sandwich was so terrific, that one ingredient just blended into the mix. That’s what a well-crafted delivery can do. And good delivery turns into action and results.
So pull out your cutting boards, and whip up a sandwich that someone can not only swallow, but digest and act on.
Have a great week-
Kathleen Doyle-White