The Compliment Sandwich* is known to be a poor technique for providing criticism. It doesn't help the person you're criticising (people see straight through it)

The Compliment Sandwich* is known to be a poor technique for providing criticism. It doesn't help the person you're criticising (people see straight through it) and it also negates the compliment. It also braces people for criticism next time you pay them a compliment. Worse still, it distracts from the message you are trying to convey. There is a way of being critical without making a person feel bad, by being factual and not making it personal, and by remembering that you are trying to help that person in some way. *Btw, we brits call it a shit sandwich :-D