yes and! using the rules of improv comedy to improve your communication and your career
TRANSCRIPT
Yes, and!HOW LESSONS FROM IMPROV COMEDY CAN HELP YOUR DEVELOPMENT CAREER
Mike Hagesfeld - @mhagesfeld
Who am I?Mike Hagesfeld - @mhagesfeldAztek – http://www.aztekweb.com - @Aztekweb.Net developer – 15 years
Second City – http://www.secondcity.comCleveland Training Center - 2000
Something Dada Improvisational Theater – http://www.somethingdada.com
Since 2001
RULE #1: YES! Who doesn’t like to be agreed with?You’re on my teamYou see where I’m coming fromYou’re my friend
Buying a carBuyerWants to get the right carWants to get the options they want
Wants a good warrantyWants the best priceNeeds approval from spouse
DealerWants to meet quota – end of
monthWants to move specific carsWants to move cars on the lotWants to make a huge
commissionWants to get it over with to
get to next sale
Buying a carBuyerWants to get the right carWants to get the options they want
Wants a good warrantyWants the best priceNeeds approval from spouse
DealerWants to meet quota – end of
monthWants to move specific carsWants to move cars on the lotWants to make a huge
commissionWants to get it over with to
get to next sale
THEY BOTH WANT A SALE TO GET DONE
ADD something…How we can do it…Another thing we can do…An example of something similar you’ve done before…A possible problem……WITH a possible solution!
SOMETHING relevant
Rule #3: NEVER negate FIND the good, the agreement Every bad idea has a good kernel…and if not, make one up. There’s a reason someone proposes something…find it, and “yes, and” THAT
Buying a car Buyer – dad, 3 kids, married
◦Wants a red SUV◦Priced it out wants it for $40K with DVD player
◦Wants to come back with wife for final decision
Dealer◦End of month – needs to move cars and fast
◦Sold last SUV on the lot yesterday
◦Gets bonus if they close a deal today
Buying a car Buyer – dad, 3 kids, married
◦ Wants a red SUV Dealer
◦ YES - need a large car for your family◦ AND no SUV currently BUT minivan
styling and drive has drastically improved◦ AND full package with DVD + rear-view
camera = $37K
Buying a car Buyer – dad, 3 kids, married
◦ Wants a red SUV◦ OK, I’ll take this home and discuss
with my wife, come back tomorrow
Dealer◦ YES - need a large car for your family◦ AND no SUV currently BUT minivan
styling and drive has drastically improved◦ AND full package with DVD + rear-view
camera = $37K
Buying a car Buyer – dad, 3 kids, married
◦ Wants a red SUV◦ OK, I’ll take this home and discuss
with my wife, come back tomorrow
Dealer◦ YES - need a large car for your family◦ AND no SUV currently BUT minivan
styling and drive has drastically improved◦ AND full package with DVD + rear-view
camera = $37K◦ YES - major decision you wouldn’t make
alone◦ AND use my office, I’ll wait◦ AND take it tonight = $36K
Buying a car Buyer – dad, 3 kids, married
◦ Wants a red SUV◦ OK, I’ll take this home and discuss
with my wife, come back tomorrow
◦Done
Dealer◦ YES - need a large car for your family◦ AND no SUV currently BUT minivan
styling and drive has drastically improved◦ AND full package with DVD + rear-view
camera = $37K◦ YES - major decision you wouldn’t make
alone◦ AND use my office, I’ll wait◦ AND take it tonight = $36K
Both sides wanted to get a car sold.The car got sold.
Establishing identity is key to defining your brand.
Set the logo off with ample whitespace to draw attention on it’s own
Gives the gravitas of subtlety.
AND!
Can you make the logo…BIGGER?!?!
We want a fun box! With hangman!For our safety supply site….
People waste time distracting themselves
Your product selection is rather dry
YES!
People waste time distracting themselves
Your product selection is rather dry
Use cleverly titled blog posts direct relevance to your
work draw people’s attention driving sales maximizing visitor utility
they can crush candy on a site made for that
AND!We want a fun box! With hangman!
For our safety supply site….
The responseNODon’t do it.It’s a bad idea.People don’t use them.
YES, AND!YES - communicate the many aspects of your siteAND - Eric Runyon: ND.edu, 84% of rotator clicks on slide #1, others equally distributedAND people use mobile more, used to scrollingsame goal more effectively with parallax and
properly placed links*Source: http://erikrunyon.com/2013/01/carousel-stats/
So why?In improv, you’re responsible for the And. In everyday communication, you may need to help your partner find the And.Questions aren’t inherently bad, but there are bad questions
QuestionsBADShowing off, not trying to get infoHidden agenda – you already know the answerNot working towards the And
QuestionsBADShowing off, not trying to get infoHidden agenda – you already know the answerNot working towards the And
GOODEducated – filling in what you couldn’t find, not asking b/c you’re not preparedNew perspective – questions THEY haven’t thought ofHelping them get to the And
Good QuestionsWhich persona would be using this new feature?Would we be able to apply this new technology to this?
Good QuestionsWhich persona would be using this new feature?Would we be able to apply this new technology to this?Did you talk to Person X about the time they did this?
Good QuestionsWhich persona would be using this new feature?Would we be able to apply this new technology to this?Did you talk to Person X about the time they did this?How did you come to this conclusion?
SummaryRule #1: Yes! Start in a Yes-Space, find the agreement
Rule #2: AND! Add something useful. Be prepared.
Rule #3: Don’t negate There’s good in everything. Find it, and “yes and” that.
Rule #5: Details, details, details Make it clear, eliminate the ambiguity
Rule #4: Be Honest Honesty builds trust, trust builds communication
Rule #6: Ask good questions Help everyone to find the And
Bonus Rules: Support local improv, buy speakers beer