It may be one of the most popular approaches to delivering difficult feedback, but in many cases the shit sandwich feedback model is just that – shit. What is the shit sandwich approach? It’s sandwiching negative feedback between two positive points. A slice of praise, the real feedback acting as the meat in the middle, […]

Do you talk in roundabouts to avoid having difficult conversations? Speak vaguely in the hope other people will eventually guess what you’re trying to say without you having to say it? This laboured and indirect approach is often used by passive communicators and those who doubt themselves. It also thrives in organisations with strong hierarchies, […]

In the out of office email message set for my recent holiday, I wrote about escaping the Gippsland winter and taking my own advice of putting my oxygen mask on first to recharge. I also encouraged others to do the same. I received multiple responses during my time away commenting on my message, thanking me […]

What do you do when you’re not happy with your meal at a restaurant (it’s cold, not what you ordered, not cooked properly), or are disappointed with the service of a shop or business?

For too long, communication has been dismissed as a ‘soft skill’ and not valued as key to personal and career success. It has been seen as a ‘fluffy extra’ rather than the most important area you can develop if you want to step up. Workplaces and schools have traditionally focused on teaching, rewarding and promoting […]

If you’re not clear on what your message is, or what you’re trying to say, you’re not ready to have a conversation about it yet.   You need clarity yourself to be able to provide it to others.

Last week I gave advice to a client ahead of a difficult conversation at work. She was worried she was going to get angry, or maybe even cry in the face of confrontation and negative feedback. She was also concerned she would let herself down by not being able to communicate her point clearly under […]