A Fun Way to Improve Communication Skills and Become a Problem Solver

For many in business, it can be hard to get your teams to communicate both their needs and their ideas. With so many rules and regulations, it can be even more challenging to get new ideas accepted and implemented. Often, it’s because of some long-standing “That’s just the way it’s always been done” thinking or perhaps an aversion to taking any sort of risk. Those two attitudes can kill a discussion or idea generation before it’s even begun.

Today, we’re going to look at an aid to conversation and culture that will make daily
communications flow better and show you how a simple team building exercise can generate great camaraderie, too.

Introducing one of the strongest, well-known, and revered Improv principles that not only makes magic happen on stage, but that will help you connect with others and get ideas implemented more quickly: “Yes, and…”

It’s the basic tenet of Improv AND it can do great things for you in your day-to-day communications. Learning and adopting this attitude can change a person, a team, and a company.

The five ways to improve your communications and be more innovative are the following:

  • Start with “Yes, and…” to create agreement, enthusiasm and options
  • Understand the drawbacks of “no” so you can avoid its pitfalls
  • Learn how “Yes, and…” generates opportunity instead of problems
  • Using “Yes, and…” in daily conversations keeps possibility alive
  • Be aware of this one fatal trap of negativity!

For full show notes, visit 

Improve your Conversation Skills and Become a Creative Problem Solver

2356 232

Suggested Podcasts

The New York Times

iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

Allison Melody

Fred Kofman

American Thoracic Society

Arcade Audio

KVPR / Valley Public Radio

Lord Banvi