"Yes, and...", also referred to as "Yes, and..." thinking, is a

rule-of-thumb In English, the phrase ''rule of thumb'' refers to an approximate method for doing something, based on practical experience rather than theory. This usage of the phrase can be traced back to the 17th century and has been associated with various ...

improvisational comedy Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv or impro in British English, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers. In its ...

that suggests that an improviser should accept what another improviser has stated ("yes") and then expand on that line of thinking ("and"). The principle does not forbid disagreements between the improvisers' characters, but states that one should not reject the basic premises introduced by the other person, as this would throw them off and harm the flow of the scene. The principle is also used in business and other fields for improving the effectiveness of the

brainstorming Brainstorming is a creativity technique in which a group of people interact to divergent thinking, suggest ideas spontaneously in response to a prompt. Stress is typically placed on the volume and variety of ideas, including ideas that may seem o ...

process, fostering effective communication, and encouraging the free sharing of ideas. The "Yes, and..." rule is complemented by the "No, but..." technique, which serves to refine and challenge ideas in a constructive manner.

Principles

The "Yes" portion of the rule encourages the acceptance of the contributions added by others. Participants in an improvisation are encouraged to agree to a proposition, fostering a sense of cooperation rather than shutting down the suggestion and effectively ending the line of communication. In an organizational setting, saying "Yes" in theory encourages people to listen and be receptive to the ideas of others. Rather than immediately judging the idea, as judgment has its place later on in the development process, one should initially accept the idea, which enables the discussion to expand on the idea without limitations. The next step in the process is to add new information into the narrative. The concept of "and" is to sway away from directly changing the suggested material, "and" rather building upon it. Additionally, and often overlooked, the "And" encourages self-awareness, confidence, and expressive skills which are necessary for setting limits, asking for help, giving feedback, delegating and even the ability to say "No".

Analysis

Despite the popularity in recent years of "Yes, and..." as a sort of slogan among many practitioners, there is hardly universal consensus regarding its authenticity and value. Gary Schwartz argues that it runs counter to the most basic tenets of improvisation. Schwartz states that he never heard

Viola Spolin Viola Spolin (November 7, 1906 — November 22, 1994) was an American theatre academic, educator and acting coach. She is considered an important innovator in 20th century American theater for creating directorial techniques to help actors to be ...

propose anything similar and that in fact she would have been categorically opposed to it. He argues that the slogan "misses the point of total relation needed in improvised theater." To Schwartz, it substantially interferes with the natural flow experience of the group and generally reduces the project of improvisation to "information sharing" and rapid-fire entertainment, led by the wittiest performers, resulting in "uninspired, 'talky' and not very theatrical" work. According to Schwartz, Spolin's formula contrasts completely with the intellectualization and urgent planning involved under "Yes, and...": "by sharing a deep non-intellectual connection where mind and body work harmoniously as in play, spontaneity and true improvisation appears." He advises replacing "Yes, and..." with a more elemental mantra frequently used by Spolin: "Follow the follower!"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yes, And Improvisational theatre Rules of thumb