r/technology 2d ago

Society Research shows the 'compliment sandwich' is no longer effective - University of Western Ontario

https://phys.org/news/2025-08-compliment-sandwich-longer-effective.html
2.8k Upvotes

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446

u/Berova 2d ago

How about treating people like adults and maybe with some openness and honesty as well as a measure of consideration and respect for a change? Just come from a constructive place. Empty platitudes ring pretty hollow.

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u/GregTheMad 2d ago

Being treated as an adult requires that you can handle feedback like an adult, which a lot of people over 18 can not.

If I had an euro for every time a person I've met immediately took negative feedback personally I could eat out way more.

2

u/braiam 2d ago

Wow, there are many people that think that people can't take feedback. The problem is that feedback often sucks. It criticizes something that doesn't matter or shouldn't matter. The receiving part is like "why the heck is this important?" and when asked it's often met with the "I just don't like it".

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u/GregTheMad 2d ago

Both can be true.

1

u/braiam 1d ago

Yeah, but I'm firmly on the side that managers don't have valid reasons to give criticism, and when they do, they suck at it. It's very likely that that group is bigger than the other.

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u/Ki-Wi-Hi 1d ago

Sounds like someone who can’t take feedback. “You’re telling me I’m wrong? You’re the one who’s wrong and you’re incompetent!”

1

u/braiam 1d ago

I present to you the Dilbert principle. Those are most of the managers.