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The Mental Flip for Problem Solving

In the world of Improv Comedy, there’s a powerful principle called “yes, and.”

It encourages performers to build upon each other’s ideas, creating spontaneous and imaginative scenes.

There are areas of the business world that are grabbing principles from Improv, such as this, and are inserting them into business problem solving sessions.

While this approach can be incredibly effective in a theatrical setting, directly applying it to business and tech problem-solving can sometimes lead to impractical solutions.

Striking the Balance Between Unconditional Acceptance and Rejection

While rejecting ideas outright can stifle creativity and foster resistance, blindly accepting every suggestion can also be counterproductive. It’s important to strike a balance between open-mindedness and critical thinking.

On one hand, saying ‘no’ to everything, blocks creative problem solving. On the other hand, saying ‘yes, and why don’t we…’ might have you developing software out of playdough.

Consider this common scenario:

• Idea: “Let’s launch a new product line with no market research.”
• Unconditional Acceptance: “Yes, and let’s do it next week!”

While positive and enthusiastic, this approach is not only impractical, but also may lead to costly mistakes but an outright rejection of a suggestion means risking killing the seed of a good idea buried in the proposal.

A More Effective Approach: ‘Yes, If’

Instead of a accepting every suggestion with a ‘yes, and’ or swiping it away with a ‘no’, use a more nuanced response as you generate ideas:

“Yes, if we conduct thorough market research first.”

This ‘yes, if’ approach accommodates the underlying idea while introducing a practical condition.

By using “yes, if,” you can:

• Foster a Collaborative Environment: Encourage open dialogue and idea sharing.
• Stimulate Creative Thinking: Challenge assumptions without throwing them out the window and explore innovative solutions.
• Improve Problem-Solving Skills: Develop the ability to identify potential roadblocks and find creative workarounds.
• Discover the Seed of a Good Idea in the Mud: you reveal the potential of extend the scope of an offer.

How to Implement ‘Yes, If’ in Your Daily Life

1. Be Aware of Your Responses: Pay attention to how you react to ideas, whether your own or those of others.
2. Practise Active Listening: Truly understand the essence of the idea before responding.
3. Use “Yes, If” as a Starting Point: Begin your response with “Yes, if” to open up possibilities.
4. Be Open to New Perspectives: Embrace diverse viewpoints and challenge your own assumptions.

By incorporating “yes, if” into your problem-solving and creative problem-solving coaching practices, you can unlock your full potential and achieve groundbreaking results.

Your Action:

1. Be aware of when you are shutting down or over-accepting a solution or idea.
2. Begin your response with “Yes, if…” and see how solutions manifest….

See the Sane in the Insane:

In my problem-solving coaching, we often generate mad ideas When we step back, the client often states: “This could work if…”, blending the whacky with the workable.

If you’re looking at upgrading your Creative Problem Solving go here and see how I help companies and individuals tap into a problem solving mindset, generate ideas and see them to fruition. Want to know more? Get in touch with me here.

This article was originally published in May 2020 and was completely updated in November 2024.