2.6
Building on the Ideas of Others
Submitted by Don Waisanen & Shannon Wheatley Hartman
Improvisational comedy has developed a rule of thinking which is called “Yes, and ….” The idea is that you accept what is said and then you add to it. The “yes” confirms the other speaker while the “and” builds on the idea. This process can create an environment of collaboration rather than competition.
Learning Goals
Develop the practice of listening and affirming what is heard rather than negating others.
Practice generous listening by identifying ideas or arguments that can be built upon.
Instructions
Set Up: Prepare for the Activity
Organize participants into pairs.
Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.
Step One: Practice Negating Others (Yes, but…) (5 min)
Share the “yes, but…” prompt shown below with participants. Remind them to not overthink it and explain that this will be a very quick exchange of ideas.
Prompt:
Pretend that you are planning a vacation together. One person makes a suggestion and the other person responds with, “yes, but…” Continue with this process for 2 minutes.
Step Two: Practice Confirming Others (Yes, and…) (5 min)
Introduce the new prompt and invite the same pairs to practice. Prompt:
Try again to plan a vacation together, but this time practice saying “yes, and…” No matter what your partner says, figure out how to confirm it and build upon it. Continue this process for 2 minutes.
Step Three: Compare the Two Experiences (5 min)
As a full group, debrief the two experiences:
Are you excited for your vacation? How did planning this trip feel different from the previous effort?
How can we bring this energy and sense of fun into our more serious conversations?
Step Four: Practice Generative Discussion (20 min)
Anticipate that participants will think it is easy to build on ideas of others when nothing is at stake (i.e. it’s a hypothetical vacation). Explain how looking for small pieces of truth in more difficult discussions is key for creating a generative discussion environment.
Create a policy statement that is relevant for your group or choose one below:
Policy A: We need stronger regulations against disinformation.
Policy B: We need stronger policies to guarantee affordable housing for all residents in our community.
Policy C: We need to support all policies that prioritize environmental sustainability and acknowledge the urgency of climate change.
Policy D: We need a public policy that addresses political polarization in our communities.
In small groups (4-6 ppl), ask participants to discuss the topic while practicing the “yes, and…” technique.
Step Five: Debrief as a Full Group (5 min)
Does “yes, and…” mean that you have to agree? How can you use “yes, and…” to create space for constructive dissent or disagreement?
Share and discuss the “Yes, and…” slide.
How did “yes, and…” affect your listening skills? How did it impact the content, direction, and power dynamics within the discussion?
TIME
40
min
MODULE
Creative Collaboration
This activity can be completed by any discussion group.
This activity can be used to support facilitation skills. See Sample Facilitation Certificate Program Design to illustrate sample sequencing.
This activity might be considered high energy or more playful than other activities.
This activity is focused on developing or supporting listening skills. See Sample Listening Certificate Program Design to illustrate sample sequencing.
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0 Comments
YD
December 3, 2022 at 1:45:08 AM
Activity 4.5 uses visual aids like the Emotion Wheel to push participants to move beyond just cognitive empathy and shows how to reflect back the emotions and understand their source through dialogue. It also helps participants differentiate between messages of intentional empathy and problem-solving.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 1:39:46 AM
Activity 4.4 uses both individual written reflection and discussion in small and large groups to explore the which aspects of a person's identity we use to determine if they should be included in the conversation on a particular issue. This activity also give participants to practice explaining and negotiating who is chosen.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 1:33:37 AM
Activity 4.3 uses physical movement and both lighthearted and serious topics to help participants see how positions on different topics lie on a continuum and how positions can change as one is exposed to new information or perspectives. Participants also flex their imaginative and creative muscle by arguing for the position opposite to theirs.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 1:28:28 AM
Activity 4.2 breaks down the individual aspects of active listening into separate rounds/steps to help participants consciously and methodically learn and practice this skill.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 1:25:28 AM
Activity 4.1digs deep into the many facets of social identity, by using drawing, as well as both written silent reflection and verbal discussion in small and large groups.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:26:51 AM
Activity 3.8 easily helps visualize the many dimensions of a topic by using the fishbone diagram.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:24:44 AM
Activity 3.7 provides useful mind tricks to help practice patience and giving people the benefit of the doubt, thus creating the sense of psychological safety required in collaborative efforts.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:21:35 AM
Activity 3.6 in an innovative activity that encourages detailed thinking about and evaluation of proposed solutions by thinking of not just the intended, but also unintended consequences.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:15:22 AM
Activity 3.5 uses visual aids and worksheets to explore a topic in detail from multiple angles. Pretending you are an alien to look at an issue from new perspectives is fun!
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:11:26 AM
Activity 3.4 uses detailed prompts and twists to encourage participants to move beyond binary thinking, which allows to them to recognize the grey areas of decision-making.