Engagement Technique: The Surgery
Most companies state an ‘open door policy’, but how many leaders do you know are prepared to open their door? The Surgery is a simple engagement technique where a senior leader – ideally the CEO – sets aside regular time for employees to ask questions, raise concerns, share ideas, or simply talk openly.
It’s about bringing the open door policy to life, and demonstrating a willingness to improve engagement from the top.
How it works
Simply, a leader, ideally C-Suite, commits to opening time in their calendar on a regular basis. It has to work for them, and they must commit to opening that time in their diary. It doesn’t matter if it’s once a month, or even once a quarter, the important part is consistency. Don’t overcommit. Pick something realistic and stick to it.
Ideally a CEO in a small company, but C-Suite and – if all are involved – department leads at a push (although the commitment there, admittedly becomes quite a big one, and one difficult to manage)
Employees then – ideally after preparing or submitting before hand – can ask ANYTHING. Questions, concerns, frustrations, ideas. All in a safe space.
They can share what works, what doesn’t – but also be prepared to hear the truth (and ensure that the CEO/leader is diplomatic enough to deliver it!)
Think of it like an all-hands meeting… except the employees control the agenda.
A different version: confidential open-door sessions
Another approach – if the first approach scares you just thinking about it – is running this through HR or People teams. Employees can book time to discuss absolutely anything in a confidential setting.
This works best under Chatham House Rule. For anyone unfamiliar, Chatham House Rule means:
People are free to use the information from a discussion, but not reveal who said it.
In practice, it creates safer conversations because people know their comments won’t be publicly attributed, they can speak more honestly, and the focus stays on issues, not personalities. I’m not a big fan of hiding who said it, as to me it’s all about transparency – but understood to build trust it might help to take this approach first.
For better or worse…
This may start with nobody showing up.
That’s normal.
If employees don’t trust the environment yet, they’ll wait to see whether it’s genuine. There might, after some time, be a ‘guinea pig’ sent forward to test this, usually with a lighter question, to see how open and transparent the conversation is. Keep communicating, keep reminding the team this is available, and – if in an office setting – signpost as much as possible the CEO/leaders availability at that time.
Over time, if employees see nothing bad happens, leaders are genuinely listening, and conversations stay respectful..
Trust. Will. Build.
A lot of employee frustration comes from people feeling unheard or disconnected from leadership. The Surgery bridges that gap.
What to watch out for
- Don’t become defensive: The purpose is listening, not winning debates.
- Don’t overpromise: Not every suggestion can happen. Explain decisions honestly.
- Protect confidentiality where needed: Trust disappears quickly if people feel exposed.
- Be consistent: Cancelling repeatedly sends the message that openness is optional.
- Be prepared for silence initially: The first few sessions may feel awkward. That’s part of building trust.
Takeaway
In many organisations, regular access to leadership without hierarchy, presentations, or formal process is surprisingly rare. So give yourselves the advantage.
The Surgery creates a structured space for honest conversation between employees and leadership. It sounds simple, because it is. ONLY if leadership can commit.
This post is part of our Engagement Techniques series of practical, low-cost ideas to bring more connection and meaning into work. Find the rest here
👉 Want to explore techniques like this in more depth? I run interactive employee engagement workshops where we bring these ideas to life.