Yes, And
Plan something together. Every sentence has to start with yes, and.
Pairs plan an event and every single sentence must begin with 'yes, and'. Nobody can reject anything, so the plan becomes gloriously unworkable — and then you run it again with 'yes, but' and the difference in the room is impossible to miss.
Find a partner. You're planning a party together. Every sentence you say has to start with the words yes, and. You can't reject anything your partner suggests. Ninety seconds. Go.
Before anything about ideas, brainstorming or how teams shut each other down — the second half makes the point on its own.
Props: None
Run this when…
If none of these is your room, pick another.Before an ideation or brainstorming session
A team who kill ideas early
Any group about to do creative work
How to run it
Written to be glanced at mid-room, not memorised.
- Pairs, facing each other, sitting or standing.
- Give them something to plan — a party, an office move, a holiday.
- Every sentence must start with the words yes, and. Nothing can be rejected.
- Ninety seconds, then stop them.
- Now run it again with a new topic and the phrase yes, but.
- Ask what the difference felt like. That is the whole point and they will tell you.
Running it well
Only the host sees these. Participants never do.
- Run both halves. Yes-and on its own is a fun game; yes-and followed by yes-but is a lesson nobody has to be taught.
- Do not explain the point before the second round. Let them feel the room go flat, then ask.
- Watch the volume. The yes-and round is loud and the yes-but round is noticeably quieter — say that out loud if the room does not notice it themselves.
Watch out for
Space, safety and the traps worth knowing before you start.
- Pairs talking at once gets loud. Agree a stop signal before you start.
- An odd number makes a three, which works fine — the sentence just goes round.
- Nobody moves, so it works in any seating.
Already seated
Nobody has to stand for this one.
It is already seated. Turn to whoever is next to you.
On a video call
The cards work as they are. This is what changes about how you call it.
One chain in the main room rather than pairs in breakouts. Call a name, they add a line beginning "yes, and", then they call the next name. Everyone can see the cards and hear every idea, and the party gets far sillier than it does in pairs because thirty people are building it. Same for the yes-but round, and the room notices the change immediately.
Run it yourself
Free for thirty days, no card. Put it on the projector and step through it — nobody in the room needs a phone.
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- Where
- Remote or in person
- Props
- None
- Big screen
- Required
- Teams
- Individual only