Module 3: The Power of YES! (and "Yes, and....")
STEP 1: UNDERSTAND
Sir Richard Branson, one of the world's most famous entrepreneurs once said, "If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later." Yes is a very, very powerful word. And, so is the word no. While each is needed, The Innovation Company is challenging you to exploring saying yes more than saying no, especially when it comes to ideas. Yes leads to possibilities. It leads to exploration and learning. It leads to growth. Conversely, no stops things in their tracks. NOTE: We are not advocating saying yes to everything nor are we suggesting that you never say the word no. However, we are encouraging you to pay attention to when you say yes and when you say no. And maybe it is not a blatant no. Maybe your no is disguised as a 'yeah but' or 'the problem with that is.' Either way these two small words can have a massive impact on creating - or not creating - an innovative culture.
Once you starting noticing how powerful it is to say yes, it is time to move to step two - saying "yes...and." "Yes, and..." is the opposite of "yeah but." Yes and builds on ideas. Yeah but stifles ideas. Yes and is the tenant of improvisational comedy and takes you places that you had no idea you were about to go. NOTE: The Innovation Company does not subscribe to the idea that saying ‘yes and’ is the answer to creating an innovative culture. It is just one piece to the puzzle. More on that in step four.
In addition to examining the power of the word yes, we want to challenge you to view ideas as gifts, and, like any time you receive a gift, you (hopefully) respond with respect and thankfulness. “Oh, thank you so much for the baked bean processor, I can’t wait to use it.” Even if you hate beans, are allergic to beans, or lost your life savings in a horrible bean factory investment scheme, you still say “thank you.” Also, how many of us still have gifts – some of which we couldn’t even identify when we received them, stored somewhere in an attic or basement. Why keep them? Why respond nicely? The answer is obvious – we want to be considerate of people’s feelings. Someone has taken the time to get you something that they thought you would like. How dare you disrespectfully dismiss the gift as worthless, stupid, or any other adjective that would hurt the person? Politely accepting a gift is another form of saying 'yes.' Thank you, yes, I accept your gift. If we do this with gifts we don’t like or even know what they are, then why do we do react so negatively to ideas? IDEAS ARE GIFTS. Let’s now play this out at work or in school. A person tosses out an idea (a gift) and it is met with ‘yeah but,’ ‘the problem with that is,’ or ‘that’s a dumb idea (gift).’ This person quietly retreats and backs down. But, instead, he doesn’t give up on the idea (gift), he simply takes it back and puts it to use – and you read about him in Fortune Magazine one day.
There are two videos below. The first is designed to give you a better sense of why we describe ideas as gifts. The second is from the 1988 movie Big with Tom Hanks. Notice in the clip from Big the power of yes versus no. Also look for the subtle 'yes ands' and the energy they create. (note: We have inserted this clip from MovieClips.com via YouTube. We have not edited the clip in any way.)
STEP 1: UNDERSTAND
Sir Richard Branson, one of the world's most famous entrepreneurs once said, "If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later." Yes is a very, very powerful word. And, so is the word no. While each is needed, The Innovation Company is challenging you to exploring saying yes more than saying no, especially when it comes to ideas. Yes leads to possibilities. It leads to exploration and learning. It leads to growth. Conversely, no stops things in their tracks. NOTE: We are not advocating saying yes to everything nor are we suggesting that you never say the word no. However, we are encouraging you to pay attention to when you say yes and when you say no. And maybe it is not a blatant no. Maybe your no is disguised as a 'yeah but' or 'the problem with that is.' Either way these two small words can have a massive impact on creating - or not creating - an innovative culture.
Once you starting noticing how powerful it is to say yes, it is time to move to step two - saying "yes...and." "Yes, and..." is the opposite of "yeah but." Yes and builds on ideas. Yeah but stifles ideas. Yes and is the tenant of improvisational comedy and takes you places that you had no idea you were about to go. NOTE: The Innovation Company does not subscribe to the idea that saying ‘yes and’ is the answer to creating an innovative culture. It is just one piece to the puzzle. More on that in step four.
In addition to examining the power of the word yes, we want to challenge you to view ideas as gifts, and, like any time you receive a gift, you (hopefully) respond with respect and thankfulness. “Oh, thank you so much for the baked bean processor, I can’t wait to use it.” Even if you hate beans, are allergic to beans, or lost your life savings in a horrible bean factory investment scheme, you still say “thank you.” Also, how many of us still have gifts – some of which we couldn’t even identify when we received them, stored somewhere in an attic or basement. Why keep them? Why respond nicely? The answer is obvious – we want to be considerate of people’s feelings. Someone has taken the time to get you something that they thought you would like. How dare you disrespectfully dismiss the gift as worthless, stupid, or any other adjective that would hurt the person? Politely accepting a gift is another form of saying 'yes.' Thank you, yes, I accept your gift. If we do this with gifts we don’t like or even know what they are, then why do we do react so negatively to ideas? IDEAS ARE GIFTS. Let’s now play this out at work or in school. A person tosses out an idea (a gift) and it is met with ‘yeah but,’ ‘the problem with that is,’ or ‘that’s a dumb idea (gift).’ This person quietly retreats and backs down. But, instead, he doesn’t give up on the idea (gift), he simply takes it back and puts it to use – and you read about him in Fortune Magazine one day.
There are two videos below. The first is designed to give you a better sense of why we describe ideas as gifts. The second is from the 1988 movie Big with Tom Hanks. Notice in the clip from Big the power of yes versus no. Also look for the subtle 'yes ands' and the energy they create. (note: We have inserted this clip from MovieClips.com via YouTube. We have not edited the clip in any way.)
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STEP 2: EXPERIENCE
We discussed saying "YES, and...." when someone shares an idea with you with the goal being to BUILD upon the idea. The Innovation Company has created a prototype of a Yes And game to help you experience yes and versus yeah but.
We discussed saying "YES, and...." when someone shares an idea with you with the goal being to BUILD upon the idea. The Innovation Company has created a prototype of a Yes And game to help you experience yes and versus yeah but.
STEP 3: REFLECT and DO
1. Reflection questions for the Yes And game
2. Find a person to talk to and play the yes and game with them (not using the computer game above). Here's how:
a. Have the other person go first.
b. Ask them to make a statement - no questions and nothing negative. Give them an example like, "We are going to go to the movies"
c. Explain that you will then say "Yes, and" and will build on their statement. For example, "Yes, and, when we are at the movies we will get popcorn."
d. Then ask the person to say "Yes, and" and build off your statement.
e. Go back and forth about 5 times and then repeat the process.
How did that feel? What did you learn?
Here is a quick video with instructions and an example to help you out.
1. Reflection questions for the Yes And game
- How does saying "Yes, and..." help create innovative cultures?
- How did it feel to not know where the 'conversation' was headed with the computer? What surprised you about the computer's responses?
- In 'yes and' there are no right or wrong answers. How does this help with innovation?
- Some people when they play this game in person mention they are afraid to say the wrong thing. Why do you think that is? How does relate to what was done in Modules 1 and 2?
- Many people are not comfortable with playing this game with others, especially in public when other people are watching or listening. Why do you think that is?
- What would your team, group, or company culture feel like if people said 'yes, and' more than they said 'yeah but.'
- What is the risk of saying yes and to everything?
2. Find a person to talk to and play the yes and game with them (not using the computer game above). Here's how:
a. Have the other person go first.
b. Ask them to make a statement - no questions and nothing negative. Give them an example like, "We are going to go to the movies"
c. Explain that you will then say "Yes, and" and will build on their statement. For example, "Yes, and, when we are at the movies we will get popcorn."
d. Then ask the person to say "Yes, and" and build off your statement.
e. Go back and forth about 5 times and then repeat the process.
How did that feel? What did you learn?
Here is a quick video with instructions and an example to help you out.