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.
Tell us what you think. Rate and review this activity:
Have any helpful suggestions or modifications for this activity?
Share them in the comments below!
0 Comments
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:47:31 AM
Activity 2.1 provides useful information to develop and use curiosity not just in a discussion space, but also in your everyday life.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:44:34 AM
Activity 1.7 is provides a useful inventory of collaborative discussion skills. It can be used to bring awareness to your skill level as you begin and to keep track of your progress as you move through this toolkit of activities.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:41:05 AM
Activity 1.6 is very innovative. It helps demonstrate how the prioritization of different values we hold changes according to context.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:38:49 AM
Activity 1.5 helps look at discussions from a different lens, moving away from just right or wrong and taking a deeper look at the values that drive different perspectives and opinions.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:35:42 AM
Activity 1.4 is a fun activity that engages your imagination to explore your identity.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:34:01 AM
Activity 1.3 is a good activity that helps develop a sense of cohesion and psychological safety in the group.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:31:54 AM
Activity 1.2 is a fun and engaging activity making use of puzzle pieces to clearly demonstrate the importance of developing collaborative perspective.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 1:29:52 AM
Activity 1.1 makes use of your collaborative experiences so far and provides an easy starting point.