Improv to be a better human being: Galen Emanuele at TEDxBellingham

Summary

Gayen Emanuel, an improviser and teacher, shares the transformative power of 'Yes, And' principles from improv in personal and professional interactions. He illustrates how accepting and building upon others' ideas can foster positivity and support, contrasting it with the negative impact of rejection. Through stories and examples, he encourages adopting a 'Yes, And' mindset to enhance relationships, communication, and overall joy in life.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Improv can transform personal interactions and company culture by promoting positivity and support.
• 🌟 The core principle of improv is 'Yes, And', which encourages accepting and building upon others' ideas.
• 🚫 Saying 'no' in improv halts progress and destroys ideas, which is a concept applicable to everyday life.
• 🏃‍♂️ A negative response can discourage people from pursuing their goals, as illustrated by Ian's marathon story.
• 🤝 Improv teaches the importance of making others look good, which fosters a supportive environment.
• 💡 'Yes, And' in daily life can lead to more positive interactions and can enhance relationships.
• 👥 Companies can benefit from a 'Yes, And' culture, leading to better teamwork and a more positive work environment.
• 🌈 The speaker encourages practicing 'Yes, And' in real-life scenarios to experience its positive effects.
• 💪 Recognizing the power of 'Yes, And' can empower individuals to handle negativity more effectively.
• 🔮 The 'Yes, And' philosophy is a choice that can be applied consciously to improve personal and professional relationships.

Q & A

What is the main message of the speaker in the transcript?

The main message is about the power of 'yes and' in improv and how applying its principles in daily life can increase joy and positively impact interactions with others.

Who is Gayen Emanuel and what is his role in the transcript?

Gayen Emanuel is an improviser and teacher of improv. In the transcript, he shares his experiences and knowledge about improv principles and encourages people to adopt a 'yes and' mindset to improve their relationships and interactions.

What is the core concept of improv according to the speaker?

The core concept of improv, according to the speaker, is the idea of 'yes and,' which involves accepting ideas, making others look good, and being positive.

Can you provide an example of 'yes and' from the transcript?

An example of 'yes and' is when one improviser says, 'Hey Doc, I'm here for my 2:00 appointment,' and the other responds, 'Oh great, come on in, have a seat. Your brain's over here, let's get started with the transplant.'

What is the opposite of 'yes and' in improv?

The opposite of 'yes and' in improv is a 'block,' which is when an improviser rejects an idea or says 'no' to an offer.

What is the story of Ian and his marathon that the speaker shares?

Ian wanted to run a marathon but his father's negative response made him doubt his decision and he eventually did not run the marathon. The speaker uses this story to illustrate the impact of a 'no' mindset versus the potential positivity of a 'yes and' approach.

How can adopting a 'yes and' attitude change the way people interact in a company culture?

Adopting a 'yes and' attitude can create a positive and supportive company culture where employees make each other look good, support each other's ideas, and work collaboratively towards common goals.

What is the game the speaker suggests to practice 'yes and'?

The speaker suggests a game where you consciously choose to say 'yes and' to everything someone says during an interaction, without them knowing, to experience the positive impact it has on the person and the interaction.

What is the speaker's advice on how to use 'yes and' responsibly?

The speaker advises using 'yes and' responsibly by being conscious and aware of the impact of one's words, taking responsibility for interactions, and choosing to lift people up with positive and supportive responses.

How does the speaker define the difference between saying 'yes' and 'yes and'?

The speaker defines 'yes' as a simple agreement, while 'yes and' involves not only accepting an idea but also adding to it and making the other person feel valued and heard.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 The Power of Improv and Yes, And

The speaker, Gayen Emanuel, introduces the concept of using improv principles to positively impact interactions with others. He explains that improv is not just about humor but about making others look good through the core principle of 'Yes, And.' This involves accepting and building upon others' ideas rather than negating them. He shares a personal story about a man named Ian, whose enthusiasm for running a marathon was dampened by his father's negative response, illustrating the real-world impact of not practicing 'Yes, And.' The speaker emphasizes that improv is about creating a supportive and positive environment where ideas can flourish.

05:01

🏃‍♂️ Transforming Negativity with Yes, And

Gayen continues by contrasting the negative impact of saying 'no' with the positive outcomes of embracing 'Yes, And.' He uses the story of Ian and his father to demonstrate how a simple shift in attitude could have led to a different, more supportive response. The speaker also discusses how the principles of improv can be applied in everyday life and work environments to foster better relationships and a more positive atmosphere. He shares an anecdote about a workplace conflict that could have been avoided by practicing 'Yes, And,' and he encourages the audience to experiment with this approach in their interactions to see the transformative effects firsthand.

10:03

🌟 Cultivating a 'Yes, And' Mindset

In the final paragraph, Gayen emphasizes the importance of consciously choosing to live by the 'Yes, And' principle, which can lead to increased joy and positive impacts on all relationships. He clarifies that 'Yes, And' is not about blindly agreeing with everything but about being aware of the influence one has on others and making a deliberate effort to uplift and support them. The speaker suggests a practice where the audience members commit to responding with 'Yes, And' to everything he says, as a way to experience the power of affirmation and positivity. He concludes by urging everyone to adopt this mindset to improve their personal and professional lives.

Keywords

💡Improv

Improv, short for improvisation, is a form of live theater where most of what is performed is created spontaneously by the actors. In the context of the video, improv is used as a metaphor for life, emphasizing the importance of being adaptable, supportive, and positive in one's interactions with others. The video suggests that adopting improv principles can lead to a more joyful and positively impactful life.

💡Yes And

Yes And is a core principle in improv where one accepts ('yes') and adds to ('and') the ideas of others. It is about embracing and building upon the contributions of others rather than negating or blocking them. The video argues that applying 'Yes And' in daily life can foster better relationships and a more positive outlook, as it encourages collaboration and support.

💡Joy

Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. The video suggests that by living according to the principles of improv, particularly 'Yes And,' one can increase their own joy and have a positive impact on others. Joy is presented as a desirable outcome of positive interactions and supportive communication.

💡Negative Response

A negative response is a reaction that is pessimistic, dismissive, or discouraging. In the video, negative responses are illustrated through examples where individuals dampen the enthusiasm of others, such as a father discouraging his son from running a marathon. The video contrasts negative responses with the positive approach of 'Yes And' to highlight the detrimental effects of negativity.

💡Supportive

Supportive means providing help or encouragement. In the context of the video, being supportive is a key aspect of the 'Yes And' principle in improv, where one supports the ideas and contributions of others. The video implies that a supportive attitude can enhance personal and professional relationships, leading to a more positive and fulfilling life.

💡Culture

Culture, in the video, refers to the attitudes, values, and behaviors characteristic of a group or organization. The speaker discusses the importance of creating a 'Yes And' culture in companies, suggesting that such a culture can lead to improved communication, collaboration, and overall workplace satisfaction.

💡Doubt

Doubt is uncertainty or lack of conviction. The video uses the example of Ian's father instilling doubt in him about running a marathon, which ultimately led to Ian not pursuing his goal. Doubt is portrayed as a negative force that can be mitigated by a supportive and affirmative approach to communication.

💡Progress

Progress in the video is associated with forward movement, growth, and development, both personally and in relationships. It is suggested that saying 'Yes' can facilitate progress by allowing ideas to evolve and by encouraging collaboration. Conversely, saying 'No' or blocking ideas can halt progress and stifle creativity.

💡Discovery

Discovery refers to the act of finding or learning something new. The video implies that by saying 'Yes And,' one opens the door to new possibilities and discoveries, both in personal interactions and in creative endeavors. It is presented as a natural outcome of an open and affirmative mindset.

💡Toxic

Toxic in the video describes a harmful or detrimental environment, particularly in the context of workplace culture. The video contrasts a toxic environment, where negativity and conflict prevail, with a positive and supportive one, which is encouraged through the practice of 'Yes And' and other improv principles.

💡Responsibility

Responsibility in the video is the idea that individuals have the power and duty to influence their interactions positively. It is suggested that by consciously choosing to apply 'Yes And' and other improv principles, individuals can take responsibility for their impact on others, leading to more constructive and joyful relationships.

Highlights

The speaker, Gayen Emanuel, introduces the concept of using improv principles to increase joy and positively impact interactions.

Improv is not just about being funny; it's about making others look good and accepting offers.

The core concept of improv is 'yes, and', which involves accepting and building upon ideas.

Improv principles can be applied to daily life to enhance communication and relationships.

A negative response can extinguish enthusiasm and prevent someone from pursuing their goals, as illustrated by Ian's marathon story.

Improv teaches to say 'yes' to ideas, make others look good, and be positive.

The concept of 'yes, and' in improv is demonstrated through an example of an improv scene.

Saying 'no' in improv halts progress and destroys ideas, which is counterproductive.

The speaker shares a story about workplace negativity and how it can escalate into larger problems.

By adopting a 'yes, and' attitude, individuals can prevent negative escalations and foster a positive environment.

The speaker emphasizes the transformative power of 'yes, and' in personal and professional settings.

Ian's story is revisited to show how understanding improv principles could have changed the outcome.

The speaker introduces a game to practice 'yes, and' in everyday interactions.

The importance of being conscious of the impact of one's words and actions on others is discussed.

The speaker concludes by encouraging the audience to live by the 'yes, and' principle for a more joyful and positively impactful life.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank

you I want you all to answer this

question if you could increase joy in

your life and have a massively positive

impact on every single person that you

interact with would you want

that I can show you how to do that it is

by living by the principles of improv my

name is gayen Emanuel and I am an

improviser improv completely changed who

I am and changed the way that I view the

world and the way that I interact with

every single person in my life I know

that it can do the same for you so uh

come with me for a moment as we explore

that who here has had a conversation

where you tell somebody that you are

going on vacation and they respond by

saying oh you suck I hate

you yes who here know someone in their

life that you can think of right now top

of your mind that if you have an idea

something you're really excited about

really stoked or jazzed and you go and

tell this person about it they will

shoot it down you know that before you

even bring it up to them they'll say

something negative and they'll suck all

the excitement out of the idea and shoot

it down no matter how positive it is or

any of that stuff yes you all know

somebody like that there

everywhere uh I have a story about that

a couple years ago I was doing a

workshop for a company about company

culture and improv and and using and

improv the way that we communicate and

how we impact each other as we as we

connect and this guy after the workshop

came up to me Ian and told me his story

Ian was planning on running a marathon

never run a marathon before in his life

he was super excited about it he had

friends that were supportive and he

called his dad to tell him about the

idea this is how the conversation went

hey Dad I'm thinking about running this

marathon and his dad immediately

responded with

oh really o are you sure I don't know

and proceeded to tell him about how

running is bad for your body and it's

miserable and what's the point of a

marathon you can't win anything

Etc so after that conversation even

though Ian was super excited about

taking this on he ended up not running

the

marathon

right because his dad's negative

response sucked the enthusiasm out of

his idea and planted that seat of doubt

and enough that he didn't do it

so what does any of this have to do with

improv everything I've been improvising

for about 10 years and teaching improv

for about seven years who here has seen

a live improv show or watched the

television show Whose Line Is It Anyway

great you're all familiar so when

improvisors like me perform we do

exactly what you've seen we take

suggestions from the audience and then

everything that we do is made up on the

spot inspired by those

suggestions improvisors have a brilliant

set of principles that they follow to

make impr impr successful if you take

those same principles and use them in

your life it will change the way that

you interact with every single person

that you come

across the common misconception about

improv is that it is about being funny

and quick witted and thinking fast on

your feet and being clever that is false

improv is about making other people look

good which is so important I'm going to

say that again improv is about making

other people look good everything in

improv is centered around this core

concept idea of yes and that is the meat

and potatoes of everything improv and so

in improv everything you do and

everything that your partner does is an

offer and you must accept your partner's

offer and add more information onto it

surrounding that core concept idea of

yes and there are a set of tenants

principles that make improv possible

that every single improv student knows

from day one of improv class here they

are say yes which means to accept ideas

make other people look good which means

to support and instead of trying to make

yourself look good focus on making other

people look good and validating them and

to be positive which means to use

positive language to be optimistic and

good-natured so when you see improv on

stage it looks like magic but it's just

a very simple brilliant strategy and

here's an example of yes and in action

in an improv scene two improvisers on

stage one of them one of them says to

the other one hey Doc I'm here for my

2:00 appointment the other improviser

would respond something along lines of

oh great come on in have a seat your

brain's over here let's get started with

the transplant right there that second

improviser said yes and accepted the

idea that they were a doctor that they

had an appointment and then they added

more information come on in it's a brain

transplant let's go so the opposite of

that in improv is what we call a block

which is to say no to an idea here's an

example of that improviser one hey Doc

I'm here for my two appointment

improviser 2 what are you talking about

I'm not a doctor I'm just a squid in the

ocean here

right that is a

block the second improviser said no and

rejected the idea of the first

improviser it's a no no it is the only

thing you cannot do in improv is to say

no because when you say no you halt

progress and you destroy an idea but

when you say yes you create forward

progress and you open the door to

Discovery possibility and creation it

looks like magic but it's just a very

simple brilliant strategy

so if you use those same principles of

gu a in your life you will impact

positively the way that you connect and

deal with every single person that you

come in contact with let's go back to

Ian and the marathon Ian's Dad wasn't

purposefully trying to say no and be

negative he was just carelessly giving

his opinion unaware of the impact that

it would have on the situation

and what actually you know the truth of

it is that his dad would have been proud

of him if he ran the marathon right Ian

would have been proud of himself for

taking something new on and

accomplishing it so let's take a look at

what actually happened Ian's dad acted

the opposite of yes and say yes he

didn't he rejected the idea immediately

make other people look good he wasn't

trying to make Ian look good he was

trying to make himself look good by

coming across as the voice of reason and

being knowledgeable about running right

and being wise and giving advice and

being positive he could have said

something positive instead he said a

bunch of negative things and destroyed

the idea of running it so if Ian's Dad

instead was an improviser dedicated his

life to living by the principles of yes

and here's how that conversation could

have looked hey Dad I'm thinking about

running a marathon that's awesome you're

going to be

great the most amazing part of the story

is that Ian also told me in that

conversation that if he had taken that

workshop with me ahead of time he

wouldn't have let it affect him because

he could see now what his dad was doing

which is just carelessly saying no and

not realizing it

how powerful is that right and once you

start to see the world in terms of

people saying yes and people saying no

and the impact of those two things

everything you view every the way that

you see the world completely changes

that's what happened to me that's the

transformation that took place

completely blew my mind and totally

changed who I was as a person that's why

I'm so passionate about talking to

companies about creating a yesand

culture and why I'm talking about this

right now with you people is that it's

so immediate it's so powerful and it's

available to every single person all of

you right now can start living by yesand

also companies can have this too uh

here's another story that you probably

can relate to if you've ever had a

job a woman told me about a problem in

her building where she came around a

corner and saw an employee that was

walking over a piece of paper that was

on the ground she thought he had dropped

it so when she asked him his response

was oh no that's not mine but I'm not

going to pick it up it's not my job that

situation escalated to this guy ended up

calling the maintenance department to

have them pick up the trash that that

was on the ground the maintenance

department shows up to find one single

piece of paper on the floor that anybody

could have picked up right so that guy

frustrated chose out the guy that called

him now those employees don't like each

other they go back and tell other

employees about that now these two

departments don't like each other it

escalates it's

ridiculous but how familiar is that

right you've all experienced something

equally ridiculous in a work environment

work environments can be so toxic but if

that company and that employee was

dedicated to an intentionally essay and

culture he could have just picked up the

piece of paper no problem right the

there was an offer to pick it up he

could have said yes and by doing so he

would have made the maintenance

department look good and supported them

he could have chosen to be positive

instead of saying that's not my job

right and when you choose to live your

life with yes and I'm telling you you it

changes the way that you see everything

in life forever this is the red pill it

is the Matrix

people to prove that this is a choice uh

I'm going to teach you a fun game that

you can play on somebody the next time

you have an interaction with anyone I

want you to choose ahead of time that

you're going to use yes and on them

without them knowing about it right so

you just say yes to everything make them

look good and be positive and then feel

what it feels like to say yes to this

person and watch from an outside

perspective how that impacts this person

and what they what their experience is

with you it's unbelievable if you want

to have a better marriage try that get a

glimpse of what it would feel like if

you made an effort to create a yesand

marriage it's incredible

we're all going to do something right

now because I want you to be able to

practice this before you go try it on

somebody else so I'm going to say a

bunch of things to you and every person

in this room you're all going to say

that's awesome to everything that I

say yeah okay are you ready okay I'm

thinking about running a marathon that's

awesome I'm going on vacation next month

that's awesome I want to make dinner

with you that's awesome I'm sad that's

awesome

rude now that you know how to wield this

power you must wield it

responsibly remember the guy that we

talked about in the very beginning that

you could think of at the top of your

mind that says no to everything do not

be that person don't be the person that

opens your mouth and says something

negative instead be the person who

thinks of something positive to say who

says yes and accepts ideas right think

of a reason why something can work

instead of immediately why it won't work

lift people up around you and do it

every single time you open your mouth

you can you absolutely can and this is

not about you saying yes to everything

in your life or being fake or pretending

that you're happy all the time that's

not possible this is real life what yes

hand is about is about you being

conscious and aware and taking

responsibility for the impact that you

have on every single person that you

interact with there is a way to say yes

to somebody to make them feel like

crap uh fine I'll go on a hike with

you technically that's a yes

and there's a yesand way to say no to

somebody that makes them feel like I

heard what you said I considered you

you're important to me right I'd love to

hang out with you and spend some time

I'm not excited about going on a hike

but maybe we can do something else it is

possible for you to say yes to a person

and no to an idea and that's important

consciously please choose to live your

life by yes and principle you will

increase joy in your life you'll have a

massively positive impact on every

single person that you interact with

you'll a better marriage you'll have

better friendships you'll have a better

working environment it's simple and it's

worth it I promise you choose yes and

say Yes make other people look good and

be positive thank

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

you