“Yes, If”: The Leadership Lesson Hidden in Improv

October 2025

Hello Community —The past few weeks have felt like a creative homecoming. I got to cheer on one of my best friends at the U.S. premiere of his original musical Mythic  in Cincinnati—a dream years in the making and a powerful reminder to never give up on your projects. Shortly after, I found myself in Detroit facilitating a daylong leadership workshop for the National Dance Education Organization.

Both experiences reminded me that creativity and leadership are not opposites; they’re deeply connected. Whether we’re choreographing movement, leading a team, or navigating everyday decisions, we’re constantly improvising our way through life.

“Yes, If”:

The Leadership Lesson Hidden in Improv

In improvisation, one of the golden rules is “Yes, And.” You accept what’s offered and add something that keeps the scene moving forward. It’s a principle rooted in openness, trust, and momentum.

Though here’s the paradox: living entirely in “Yes, And” mode isn’t sustainable. Sometimes saying yes to everything leads to exhaustion, resentment, and burnout—especially in times like these when so many of us are holding both hope and heaviness, motivation and fatigue, creation and uncertainty.

As I continue supporting leaders, educators, and teams, conversations around boundaries, resilience, and emotional sustainability keep surfacing. 

How do we stay connected, compassionate, and motivated without depleting ourselves?

A few years ago, I took a training in Intimacy Coordination for Film, TV, and Theatre that completely reframed how I think about leadership, consent, and collaboration. 

The facilitator said something that actually blew my mind:

“If ‘No’ isn’t an equally acceptable answer as ‘Yes,’ then ‘Yes’ doesn’t mean anything.”

Take a moment and read that again.

That single statement has become a thread through nearly all my work—coaching, teaching, team + leadership development, and even choreography.

Too often, “Yes” is seen as the only acceptable answer. Saying “No” can feel risky: we worry we’ll seem unhelpful, difficult, or “not a team player.” 

However, when we lose access to “No,” our “Yes” loses integrity—and so does our energy.

I use an exercise with my college students to bring this idea into the body. We form a circle. One person stands and asks another if they’ll switch seats. The responder can say “Yes” or “No.” Both answers are equally acceptable—or at least that’s what we say at the start.

Every semester, the same dynamics emerge: discomfort in saying No, pressure to say Yes, anxiety when the person standing hears too many No’s. 

The tone and body language change with each response. Intellectually, we understand that both answers are valid; but embodying that truth is much harder.

The same thing happens in workplaces. Managers overcommit. Teams stretch themselves too thin. Leaders say yes to initiatives before clarifying capacity or alignment. 

The result? Disconnection, resentment, and burnout.

That’s why I now teach the reframe: “Yes, If.”

“Yes, if we can adjust the timeline.”
“Yes, if we can clarify roles.”
“Yes, if I have the resources to do it well.”

“Yes, If” keeps the door open to collaboration while honoring our boundaries. It allows for partnership instead of compliance, and curiosity instead of fear.

Whether we’re creating art, raising families, leading organizations, or navigating daily life, this mindset helps us practice consent, communication, and courage all at once.

I invite you to reflect:

*Where in your life or work do you find yourself saying “Yes” out of obligation rather than alignment?
*What might a “Yes, If” sound like instead?
*How could honoring your authentic “No” actually deepen connection or trust?
*What would it look like to approach the next few weeks as an improvisation—balancing flexibility with boundaries?

Life—like improv—isn’t about getting the scene “right.” It’s about showing up with presence, curiosity, and courage.

When we practice “Yes, If,” we create space for both our needs and our contributions to coexist—one moment, one decision, one step at a time.

P.S. If you or your team are ready to lead with more authenticity, courage, and clarity—saying “Yes” without burning out and setting boundaries without guilt—I’d love to support that journey. Through 1:1 coaching, leadership development, and team facilitation, I help individuals and organizations strengthen communication, build trust, and create sustainable success rooted in self-awareness and alignment. Let’s connect.