Why great bosses rarely give negative feedback (backed by science)

Here’s the intro from this article from Inc.:

If you’ve ever been served one, you won’t be surprised to learn that science shows the so-called feedback sandwich — leading with a positive, sharing the negative, then closing with a positive — is a terrible way to deliver constructive criticism.

According to a study published in Management Review Quarterly, the feedback sandwich almost always fails to correct negative or subpar behaviors. But what you may not know is that even when delivered separately, people do tend to clearly remember the positive feedback they receive — but within a short period of time, they don’t remember the negative feedback at all.

The problem lies in how we form beliefs about ourselves. We all tend to overestimate our abilities. We want to believe we’re smart. We want to believe we’re talented. We want to believe we’re good at what we do. So we subconsciously find ways to feel good about ourselves.