In today’s fast-paced world, debate and challenge are not just optional—they’re essential for driving innovation, continuous improvement, and ensuring accountability within your organisation. Over the past year, we've seen countless examples of organisations where healthy debate, discussion, and challenge don’t exist. From Boeing to the Post Office, the failure to listen, embrace a discussion, and accept challenge from their people has had dramatic repercussions.

Businesses that fail to encourage their people to challenge, and openly interrogate what they do and how they do it are missing a trick.

To successfully R:START debate in your business, consider the following key actions:

• Enable your Line Managers to facilitate and manage debate effectively

Line Managers need to be equipped to listen to and encourage debate on everything from processes to strategy. This is a facilitation skill and needs to be trained and developed.  

Managers need to reframe how they think about challenge, from viewing it as unnecessary noise to a way for employees to feel part of shaping the future, and an opportunity to consider different views or ideas. The potential unlocked by having these conversations can be limitless.  

• Establish a transparent escalation process

Foster a culture that enables healthy debate to take place. Where people feel they can speak up and are passionate enough to do so. Debate doesn’t always lead to 100% agreement - and that’s okay. As long as the opportunity is there for people to offer their contribution

If something isn't right, your people should be able to bypass hierarchy and flag issues or ideas quickly and effectively.

And when things are escalated, there needs to be an opportunity for open discussion and debate about what’s shared, and what the outcome should be. Allowing people to challenge is only half the story, you then need to consider and respond to what you’re hearing.

Remember that context is king. Your people will not always agree or fully support organisational decisions, but you can help them understand the rationale behind why they are made. Allowing challenge and discussion about them is simply part of the process to people accepting a new direction.

• Outline the rules of engagement

RE:STARTING open debate in business is critical if you want your business to thrive, but you need to be clear on the rules of engagement. Challenge and confrontation are two very different things, but it’s easy to move from one to the other very quickly, and sometimes, unintentionally. Be clear on the rules of engagement in your business so challenge doesn't become a weapon. Ultimately, you’re all working towards the same goal – and a healthy debate enables you to collaborate to find the best possible outcome.

If you want to RE:START debate and challenge in your business, and need support on where to begin, get in contact with us at hello@unitedcultureco.com.

‍