Why mastering debate is critical to success

Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog. Thank you for all the lovely messages; they make my writing feel worthwhile.

I love the “for dummies” books. I have a short attention span, so finding books to explain complex topics in a clear, simple and engaging way is perfect for me. I’ve used that style for this blog because it’s about serious issues. I do hope I’ve managed to make a complex subject clear without irritating anyone.

To provide some background, I took media training many years ago for my job. At that time, I was surprised by the emphasis on “not letting the interviewer trip you up.” Naively, I hadn’t realised that their aim was to catch me off guard. Interviews were high-stakes situations where any mistake could harm my company’s reputation. Interviewers often posed tough questions, interrupted, or used leading statements to provoke responses that would fit their narrative and sensationalise headlines. Before my training, I had no understanding of the media world, but afterwards, I became much more aware of their tactics.

Fast forward 20 years, and we are living in increasingly difficult times, which the media are making worse. I’m witnessing alarming levels of anger within our communities. While we have faced tough periods before, this situation feels different. Anger is being directed towards many targets, depending on the viewpoint. It’s being aimed at the government, the opposition, the monarchy, climate change, transgender, immigration, Trump, Russia, Israel, China, Gary Lineker, the BBC, Sky, Protests, left wing, right wing (both have been prefixed with the word “far”). The list seems endless.

For me, it’s not just the news channels. Social media also must shoulder some blame. Fake news (used for clickbait) is commonplace, and without extensive research into an article, it isn’t easy to establish what’s factual rather than opinion-based. Therefore, being fair-minded is more important than ever, and debating makes you a fairer person because it involves evaluating multiple perspectives, even those you disagree with.

Debating trains you to listen actively, consider evidence objectively, and challenge biases—yours and others’. Through debate, you learn to prioritise reason over emotion, ensuring decisions and judgments are based on facts rather than prejudice or snap assumptions.

It fosters empathy, which is missing in today’s society. We need to learn to respect opposing viewpoints, as it instils intellectual humility, recognising that your position may not always be the absolute truth. These habits translate to fairer interactions in everyday life, from resolving conflicts to making equitable decisions.

Debate also helps us succeed in our careers by improving our critical thinking and communication, which are essential for pitching ideas and debating. This process allows us to adapt to different perspectives, which is invaluable in negotiations, leadership, and collaboration. It also fosters resilience, as you learn to handle criticism and think on your feet. I’ve never been great at handling criticism, but constructive criticism, whilst I didn’t like it at the time, has been hugely beneficial in my career journey.

So, in summary, master the art of debate and you’ll not only win arguments but also hearts and minds, turning every conversation into a chance to inspire, persuade and leave a lasting impact.

To be able to debate effectively isn’t easy; it takes effort. There are lots of online tutorials, and make sure you practice seeking feedback. Stay cool and kind, don’t get mad or mean and never make it personal.

And on that note, I’ll end with an Aggie saying “it’s nice to be nice”. Until next time xxxxxx