--- title: Embracing Yes and description: organizing structure, improve, yes and, empowered participants image: https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/IMG_0373_resized.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/embracing-yes-and#main-content) [![NJLMC-Logo_Horiz](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Artwork/NJLMC-Logo_Horiz.png "NJLMC-Logo_Horiz")](https://lmcpartnerships.org) - [About](https://lmcpartnerships.org/about) - [Events](https://lmcpartnerships.org/lmc-events) - [PreCon 2026](https://lmcpartnerships.org/precon2026) - [Well-Being Study Enrollment](https://lmcpartnerships.org/et-study) - [Stories](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog) - [Resources](https://22126916.hs-sites.com/blog/tag/toolkit) Sep 22, 2025, 1:48:36 PM # Embracing "Yes, and..." ![Picture of Mike Ritzius](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Headshot/Headshots.svg) [Mike Ritzius](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/author/mike-ritzius) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/embracing-yes-and) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/embracing-yes-and) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/embracing-yes-and) You can think of "Yes, and..." as a simple organizing structure that alleviates group friction by bringing participants into a similar thought pattern. It encourages collaboration by inviting people to build upon one another's' ideas. By suspending judgement for a short time, participants respect and honor each contribution in a way that is playful and fun. The result is expansive, creative thinking that leads to a more connected team. Here's an example from one of our LMC teams: > ### **Embracing "Yes, and..."** > > I recently led an afternoon meeting for our elementary school counselors, and I wanted to facilitate an activity that would not only be fun, but also illustrate a powerful lesson about collaboration. I chose to introduce them to the "Yes, and..." activity, a classic improv exercise I learned from the LMC, with a twist. > > We began with the negative version of the game: **"No, because..."** One person would offer a suggestion, and the next person would respond with "No, because..." and provide a reason why the idea wouldn't work. The goal was for them to experience the frustration of collaborating with someone who is closed-minded. It worked perfectly. During our debrief, participants shared that once an idea was shut down, it became incredibly difficult to come up with an alternative. The "no" stifled all creativity and momentum in the room. > > Then, we switched to the positive version: **"Yes, and..."** The atmosphere immediately shifted. The energy in the room became lighter and the ideas began to flow freely, growing bigger and more elaborate as each person added on. The counselors found it much easier to build on each other's ideas rather than tearing them down. As one person pointed out, it’s much easier to scale back a big, creative idea than it is to bulk up a small, restrictive one. > > After the activity, we discussed how they could use this in their own practice. They immediately saw the value of using "Yes, and..." with students to teach them about the importance of accepting each other's ideas and exploring how it feels to have your own ideas accepted versus shut down. This simple activity not only taught a valuable lesson about the power of collaboration, but also provided a tool they can use to foster a more positive and accepting environment for their students. (Credit: Dee Jones, Vice Principal) This approach can be used in as little as 5 minutes during a meeting. Invite people to organize into pairs. Have them determine who will start and then respond to every idea with a "Yes, and...". Set a timer for 2 to three minutes per round and the result will be a rich foundation for deeper conversation. [Toolkit](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/toolkit), [Knowledge Brokering](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/knowledge-brokering), [Tools](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/tools), [Empowered Participants](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/empowered-participants), [Organizing Structures](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/organizing-structures) ## Related posts [![](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Blue%20and%20Orange%20Business%20Conference%20Flyer.svg)](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview) [Events](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/events), [Ecosystem of Support](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/ecosystem-of-support) ## [Webinar - NJ Labor Management Collaborative Overview](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview) ![Picture of Mike Ritzius](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Headshot/Headshots.svg) [Mike Ritzius](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/author/mike-ritzius) Oct 17, 2025, 4:10:40 PM [Read more](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview) [![](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Blue%20and%20Orange%20Business%20Conference%20Flyer-1.png?height=200&name=Blue%20and%20Orange%20Business%20Conference%20Flyer-1.png)](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview-1) [Events](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/events) ## [Webinar - NJ Labor Management Collaborative Overview - January 2026](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview-1) ![Picture of Estefania Theiler](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Headshots.svg) [Estefania Theiler](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/author/estefania-theiler) Dec 12, 2025, 3:41:42 PM [Read more](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/webinar-nj-labor-management-collaborative-overview-1) [![](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hs-fs/hubfs/PXL_20250625_164848770.MP.jpg?height=200&name=PXL_20250625_164848770.MP.jpg)](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/superintendents-perspectives-on-njlmc) [Stories](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/stories), [Empowered Participants](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/empowered-participants), [Superintendent](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/tag/superintendent) ## [Superintendents’ perspectives on NJLMC](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/superintendents-perspectives-on-njlmc) ![Picture of Kimberly Crane](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Headshot/Untitled%20design%20(5).png?width=50&name=Untitled%20design%20(5).png) [Kimberly Crane](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/author/kim-crane) Sep 29, 2025, 11:35:40 AM Interviews by Kimberly Crane [Read more](https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/superintendents-perspectives-on-njlmc)   ![NJLMC-Icon](https://lmcpartnerships.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Artwork/NJLMC-Icon.png?width=150&name=NJLMC-Icon.png "NJLMC-Icon") ## Our Support The New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative, an initiative dedicated to fostering productive relationships between labor and management in New Jersey’s educational system, thrives through the robust support of the National Education Association (NEA). This partnership exemplifies NEA’s commitment to enhancing educational environments not only in New Jersey but across the nation.  The NEA, as part of the National Labor Management Partnership (NLMP), a coalition of the national organizations of the nation’s educators, is cultivating a dynamic ecosystem of support that empowers districts to implement collaborative strategies effectively. Through providing crucial resources, expertise and ongoing consultation, the NLMP nurtures a sense of collective efficacy between labor and management, driving improvements in teaching conditions and student outcomes.  This collaborative approach has shown tangible benefits, leading to more cohesive school communities and a better educational experience for all stakeholders. By backing initiatives like the New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative, NEA demonstrates its dedication to fostering a culture of cooperation and mutual respect within the education sector, paving the way for sustained success and innovation.  For more information about NEA’s role in labor management collaboration, visit *[nea.org/collaboration](http://nea.org/collaboration?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--a-CPUORCZmYNlfJr6IpE0I6PEKpkZhY8CGgoIise9UFZFz9whESs4JsWV1Zx7htCChMvz).  *   The New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative 172 W. State St. Trenton, NJ 08608   Copyright © 2025   ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mike Ritzius", "url" : "https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/author/mike-ritzius" }, "dateModified" : "2025-09-22T18:08:30.222Z", "datePublished" : "2025-09-22T17:48:36.000Z", "headline" : "Embracing Yes and", "image" : [ "https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/IMG_0373_resized.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://lmcpartnerships.org/blog/embracing-yes-and", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://lmcpartnerships.org/hubfs/Screenshot%202024-11-26%20at%2010.12.18%20AM.png" }, "name" : "The New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative" } } ```