Idea #84 - Yes, and...

Today we indulged in a fun little activity in an attempt to test and expand our improvisation skills. We prompted statements and questions and were prompted with the same in return - to which we could only respond with the prefix “yes, and…”

As a follow up to this activity, we watched Bob Kulhan’s Improv 101 on the principle of the phrase “yes, and…”. We learned how this principle forces us out of our critical and analytical thinking, pushing us to accept the situation and adapt instead. This creates an environment that fosters creativity and talent, which consequently leads to innovation.

This phrase alone eliminates any and every limitation there is in our train of thought, in our approach to problem solving. It encourages us to think convergently, instead of looking at things from a unidimensional, divergent perspective.

Although, interestingly, this principle (like any communication principle, being a psychological tool) may also be exploited to win arguments or sabotage discussions - by using complex words, overwhelming the other party, even if the content itself bears little meaning! In Finnish, it is called sanahelinä' - and we see it all the time on debate panels on the news, do we not? Nonetheless, it is never a bad idea to always be up for a challenge.

Written and Curated by Arya Kastwar