Agree and Add on
| “Yes, and…is the guiding principle behind all improv,” says Jennine Profeta, Second City performer and theatre educator. I’ve always thought of it as agree and add on. Today it seems that finding fault, correcting others, being obstinate, and creating confrontation are ways to get noticed. But will this help us solve problems? I think not. We all must learn and practice the fine art of how to agree and add on. We can learn some easy tips from those who are experts. Improv is: About making connections. For it to work, you must connect with the other person and focus on the relationship. You must affirm others and it starts by caring. When I care about you, I can connect with you. 80-90% of all connecting is done one-on-one. We must make a connection to be able to say, “Yes…and…” About reacting to what is being said in the present moment. Today, under the pressure of accelerating change, the past and future have been fused into a single tense: the present. By focusing on right now, this conversation, you can take control and experience life, instead of missing it. We must listen first…..then react. There is no improv without active listening. About being a team. We are here to support each other and help each other out. Great teams mesh well. They have a common operating language. An ideal team shares knowledge and creates solutions. When teams interact in the right way–agree and add on–they can accomplish what no superstar could ever do alone. About having fun. Life today is heavy, often serious and frightening with the unknowns of an unknown virus. Let’s look for the light side—the bright side. When in doubt, choose fun. Have a belly laugh about something. Having fun and getting results are not mutually exclusive—both are essential for personal well-being and organizational health. About treating others like they are a genius. We get energy from being around those we consider to be geniuses. They promote creativity. They consider the viewpoints of others. They are open minded. They believe there’s always a better way. They provide valuable expertise. They know failure is not fatal. They may not be book smart but excel in common sense. Your response framed well can make others feel brilliant. We want to provide you specific phrases to learn, practice and get good at using to advance the culture to…Play Improv. A for Acknowledge; L for Listen; P for Play Improv. We are headed for the ALPS—the pinnacle of experiences. Look for the upcoming segment on what the S stands for. Have an EXTRA fantastic day! Thank you! ~Mari & Monica Ways to agree with someone: I agree Sure Absolutely Definitely Me too Of course My pleasure I also think that I feel that way too So do I Phrases you can use: That’s exactly what I was thinking too I couldn’t agree more with you on that You’ve hit the nail on the head there I think you are totally right about that. Hearing the other person, and adding on I don’t doubt you are right…. You know more about this than me… I understand what you are saying… I see what you mean… I could be wrong about this… I don’t disagree… Keeping the conversation positive and collaborative But what about But don’t you think But in my experience But I still think But maybe But it could look like But I think we should start here Your statement could be something like this: I don’t doubt you are right, but don’t you think… You know more about this than me, but what about… I see what you mean, but it seems to me that we should…. |
