Getting to Yes, And

How improv builds better teams, faster decisions, and real momentum.
Inspired by Bob Kulhan’s book Getting to “Yes And”: The Art of Business Improv (Stanford Business Books, 2017).

Most teams don’t struggle for lack of ideas—they struggle because good ideas get shut down too early. Yes, And is a simple discipline that keeps conversations moving, invites contribution, and turns “meeting theater” into progress. This approach brings improv principles into everyday leadership so you get more candor, smarter choices, and a culture that learns fast.

What’s inside (in real words)

• “Yes, And” in business: acknowledge reality (“yes”) and build on it (“and”)—without agreeing to everything.

• Listening that changes outcomes: hear what’s actually said, not just what you’re waiting to reply to.

• Status, tone, and trust: signal safety while raising standards.

• Turning ideas into action: move from brainstorming to clear owners, next steps, and time boxes.

• Recovering from mistakes: debrief fast, extract the lesson, keep momentum.

• Everyday drills: quick reps you can run in huddles to make “Yes, And” a habit.

Why this matters now

Tighter budgets and faster cycles punish slow, defensive cultures. Yes, And builds a bias toward learning and execution—people speak up earlier, decisions get better, and teams stay adaptive under pressure.

Big ideas you can use immediately

• Acknowledge before you add. “Yes, I hear X… and here’s how we can build on it.”

• Make your partner look good. Shift from “prove I’m right” to “advance the work.”

• One offer at a time. Reduce chaos by clarifying the single next move.

• Agree on constraints. Boundaries spark creativity: time, money, scope.

• Separate Explore vs. Decide. Keep idea time expansive; decision time crisp.

• Practice small, daily reps. Skill beats slogans—reps lock the habit.

Quick team drills (5–10 minutes each)

• Last Word Heard: reply by starting with the last word your partner said—forces real listening.

• Yes, And Chain: go around building one solution, one “and” at a time.

• One-Minute Story: one person tells a quick story; others add one sentence to advance it.

• Constraint Pitch: pitch an idea in 30 seconds under a tight constraint (budget, timeline, rule).

• Debrief in Threes: presenter, builder, note-taker—rotate each round.

30-day rollout (my recommended plan)

• Week 1 – Install the language: teach “Yes, And,” model it yourself, ban “yeah, but.”

• Week 2 – Add drills to huddles: one quick exercise per meeting; rotate facilitators.

• Week 3 – Tie to decisions: label meetings Explore or Decide; end with owners and dates.

• Week 4 – Review & refine: capture wins, trim what’s not helping, set next month’s practice.

Where it helps most

• Leadership team: faster alignment, fewer turf wars, clearer trade-offs.

• Sales & customer success: handle objections without getting defensive; co-create solutions.

• Ops & field teams: adapt on the fly, share learnings, and keep service levels high.

• Innovation & product: protect fragile ideas while still driving toward a call.

Who this is for

Owners, executives, supervisors, and up-and-coming leaders who want a practical way to raise trust and speed without lowering standards.

Call to Action

• Skim the opening chapters to lock in the “Yes, And” mindset.

• Run a 10-minute drill in your next huddle.

• Pick one meeting a week to label “Explore,” and one to label “Decide.”