This sucks, you don’t. A short conversation on the compliment sandwich

I recently read an article about the compliment sandwich.

I think sometimes we all need a swift kick in the butt. We might be working on something that is the pinnacle of mediocrity and we might not be able to tell that it’s a little bit too salty, or doesn’t have enough cayenne. We can’t always tell if our own work is good or not because we have become accustomed to what we have been working on. To us we are stuck in the lukewarm, but how do we get out of it and into the heat?

What might help?

For us to improve our work it’s the exact opposite of how to boil a frog. If you throw a frog in hot water, it will jump out. But if you throw a frog in warm water and slowly heat it, it will stay in the warmth until it cooks. Creatives sometimes need to be given some heat in order to be jump-started to make our best work. Don’t be afraid to give us some heat.

In short, don’t feel the need to sugar coat things. It is our job to be able to take it, and improve on our work based on feedback.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER – Don’t take this as an open offer to become a jerk.