Encouraging Collaboration by Saying "Yes And!"

Organizations can learn a lot from the world of improvisational theater – especially about what it means to work together in a truly collaborative way.

Above all, improv performers are taught to say “Yes And.” “Yes And” means that a performer must not deny the reality asserted by an onstage partner but must accept it and build on it during the scene. If your partner says there’s a net strung across the stage, you answer “Yes” and immediately start “playing tennis.” Saying “No” leads to onstage power struggles among the performers and blocks a scene from ever getting off the ground.

Similarly, adopting a “Yes And” attitude in an organization reminds people to keep an open mind and work together to discover the opportunities in each others’ ideas. “Yes And” doesn’t necessarily mean Agreeing with the Position, but it does mean:

(1) Accepting the Person (that is, treating each other with respect);
(2) Acknowledging the Possibilities (that is, being curious about where an idea could lead); and
(3) Advancing with a Positive Purpose (that is, incorporating everyone’s best thinking to create a great result).

Collaborating with others in an organization isn’t just “like” improv – it is improv! Reflecting the “Yes And” attitude in our team interactions can let our collective brainpower thrive, leading to successful “scenes” for us and our customers.

REFLECTIONS FOR THE YES! LEADER

Many leaders have a strong, constant urge to control what happens in their organizations and their work groups. To what extent is this true for you? What would happen if you “gave the spotlight” to your fellow team members and let their ideas, actions, decisions, perspectives, approaches, experiments, etc., truly shine through?