Desmond: “I propose we each take on one of the outstanding tasks so that we can get this phase of the project completed on time”
Kyle: “Yes, but I can’t take responsibility for anything more than I already have.”
Desmond: “We have to find some way to get the rest of these things done by Wednesday. We can do it if each of us spend just one extra hour every day…”
Ruby: “Okay, but nobody has any extra time. We’re all working on other projects. Maybe we should just try and get some more people in to help.”
Kyle: “Yeah but who has the time to recruit them?”
And so it goes, round and round and round. How to break the vicious cycle of ‘yes but’ and get some traction so the team can move towards one of many possible solutions to an existing problem?
Borrow some language from the world of improv theatre and you may find it shifting mindset on a whole variety of things including creativity, obstacles, changing direction, recognizing and seizing opportunities and the list goes on and on.
Improv is form of unscripted theatre that is made up by the performers, right on the spot. Commonly thought of in terms of comedy due to the popularity of shows like ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway”, there are many forms of improv and all subscribe to the same set of guidelines. Perhaps the best way for me to introduce them to you is to share a short glossary of established improv terms:
Accepting – Suspending judgment and taking on, with openness enthusiasm, offers made by other players in order to advance the scene. Advancing -The process of moving a scene forward. Blocking - Not accepting other improvisers’ offers and in doing so stopping the flow of positive creativity. Canceling – Negating or demolishing an idea that has been established. Chivalry - Not clinging to your own ideas and daring to give up control. Conflict – What advances a story but you usually do not want to start a scene with conflict. Hedging - Making small talk rather than forwarding the action. Justifying - Finding a use for every Offer introduced in the scene with best outcome being the ability to justify everything in the scene. Offer - Any action or dialog that may advance a scene with a “strong” offer clearly giving a direction into which a scene might evolve and an “open” offer leaving a variety of possible directions for scene evolution. Overloading - Overloading is throwing unnecessary elements into a scene which will usually prevent whatever was going to happen from happening. Platform - The who, what and where of a scene. Success of a scene often depends on a solid and clear platform, so establish the platform as early as possible. Status - A character's sense of self-esteem. Storytelling - Improv is group storytelling and in most stories, we want to know who/what/where we are (Platform), and then something should happen (Conflict) and finally we want a solution, to conclude the scene. Subtext - A character's underlying drive, goals, ambitions and sense of self-esteem. Waffling - Postponing because of lack of ideas but continuing to babble in the hope one will come. Wimping - Accepting offers but refusing to do anything with them. Yes! And… - Advancing scenes by accepting everything said and/or done and doing something useful with it.
Try this: Re-read the glossary thinking in terms of behaviour demonstrated in business meetings. Substitute “player” or “character” with colleague, staff or boss and “scene” with agenda item or project.
What are some other ways of phrasing “Yes! And…”? What would happen to our opening script if Kyle had responded to Desmond’s initial suggestion by saying, “What I like about your idea, Kyle, is that it gets everyone involved. What if we find a way for team members who are already over committed at the moment to contribute during the second phase of the project, next month. ”
It is important to note that accepting does not necessarily mean agreeing. There is much that can be achieved by finding the common ground in opposing ideas.
