Patrice Louvet, CEO of Ralph Lauren, shared insights on delivering workplace feedback during a LinkedIn podcast, "This Is Working," published on April 10. Moving away from the traditional "compliment sandwich" approach, Louvet, aged 60, tailors his feedback style based on the issue's severity. For minor concerns, such as tardiness or email typos, he highlights an employee's strengths before suggesting improvements. For significant issues, like missed deadlines or incorrect data, he opts for direct, constructive feedback, emphasizing clarity and impact.
Louvet, who has led Ralph Lauren since 2017, draws from his nearly three-decade tenure at Procter & Gamble, where he learned to focus 80% of efforts on strengths and 20% on areas for growth. This philosophy, he believes, maximizes effectiveness and fosters development without fixating on weaknesses.
