The simple mindset shift that makes teams more creative

"In improv, "Yes, and" is more than just a phrase; it's a mentality-to accept whatever idea or proposition is thrown at you, no matter how outlandish, rather than shutting it down. This mantra helped the flow of our improv performances, but it turned out to be a great life lesson as well. From that point on, I tried practicing it outside of the theater as well."

"In the workplace, "Yes, and" means being an optimist-trying to see the value in someone's idea, instead of knee-jerk shooting it down. As I've discovered, pessimism can be an insidious force that quietly takes root in teams and drags down performance, morale, and creativity. On an individual level, research shows that pessimists are five times as likely to burn out as optimists, less likely to be highly engaged at work, and less likely to have strong relationships with their colleagues."

"Let me start by clarifying that pessimism isn't inherently negative. Some experts say that pessimists bring unique leadership strengths to the table, like protecting resources and correcting course. Pessimists' work tends to be more thorough, accurate, and carefully considered. Problems arise, however, when a negative take doesn't offer an alternative solution. For example, when you reject a proposed new product concept because you assume the market is already saturated."

An improv class teaches 'Yes, and' as a mentality of accepting and building on others' ideas rather than shutting them down. The 'Yes, and' mantra improves improv performance flow and translates into everyday interactions. In the workplace, 'Yes, and' encourages optimism by prompting people to look for value in proposals instead of reflexively rejecting them. Pessimism can quietly erode team performance, morale, and creativity, and correlates with higher burnout and lower engagement and relationship quality. Pessimists can provide careful, accurate work and resource protection, but negativity becomes harmful when it offers no alternative solutions. Leaders must model solution-oriented thinking to shift mindsets toward optimism.

Read at Fast Company