Instructions

Set Up: Prepare for the Activity

Organize participants into pairs.

Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.

Step One: Practice Negating Others (Yes, but…) (5 min)

Share the “yes, but…” prompt shown below with participants. Remind them to not overthink it and explain that this will be a very quick exchange of ideas.

Prompt:

• Pretend that you are planning a vacation together. One person makes a suggestion and the other person responds with, “yes, but…” Continue with this process for 2 minutes.

Step Two: Practice Confirming Others (Yes, and…) (5 min)

Introduce the new prompt and invite the same pairs to practice. Prompt:

• Try again to plan a vacation together, but this time practice saying “yes, and…” No matter what your partner says, figure out how to confirm it and build upon it. Continue this process for 2 minutes.

Step Three: Compare the Two Experiences (5 min)

As a full group, debrief the two experiences:

• Are you excited for your vacation? How did planning this trip feel different from the previous effort?

• How can we bring this energy and sense of fun into our more serious conversations?

Step Four: Practice Generative Discussion (20 min)

Anticipate that participants will think it is easy to build on ideas of others when nothing is at stake (i.e. it’s a hypothetical vacation). Explain how looking for small pieces of truth in more difficult discussions is key for creating a generative discussion environment.

Create a policy statement that is relevant for your group or choose one below:

• Policy A: We need stronger regulations against disinformation.

• Policy B: We need stronger policies to guarantee affordable housing for all residents in our community.

• Policy C: We need to support all policies that prioritize environmental sustainability and acknowledge the urgency of climate change.

• Policy D: We need a public policy that addresses political polarization in our communities.

In small groups (4-6 ppl), ask participants to discuss the topic while practicing the “yes, and…” technique.

Step Five: Debrief as a Full Group (5 min)

• Does “yes, and…” mean that you have to agree? How can you use “yes, and…” to create space for constructive dissent or disagreement?

• Share and discuss the “Yes, and…” slide.

• How did “yes, and…” affect your listening skills? How did it impact the content, direction, and power dynamics within the discussion?