When a government agency launched a four-day training program to help employees embrace AI, they included exactly what you would expect:
- Hands-on workshops with both off-the-shelf and custom AI tools
- Real-world demos tailored to government needs
- Expert-led technical training
And then they brought me in.
Not to teach another AI tool. Not to show the latest prompt engineering hack.
But to talk about improv comedy—and mindset.
My two-hour session on "Yes, And" thinking ended up being the highest-rated session of the entire program. Not just for engagement (though humor helps), but for value.
That's not a flex. (Okay, maybe it’s a small flex)
But it’s also a signal.
You Can't Just Teach the Tool
If you want people to truly embrace change—whether it's AI, a CRM rollout, or a culture reset—you can't just hand them mechanics and hope for the best.
You have to address the mindset that allows those mechanics to take root.
I learned this years ago teaching improv comedy. The performers who grew fastest weren't always the most experienced or naturally talented. They were the ones with the mindset that said "I'll try, I'll experiment, I'll keep going even when it's awkward."
The same is true now when companies face change. People don't resist the tools; they resist the emotions behind the tools.
The YES AND Framework: 6 Steps to Shift from Apathy to Energy
Here's how I helped that agency unlock AI's potential (and how you can apply it to any change):
1. Y - Yield to What Is
Change doesn't care whether you like it. The first step is acknowledging reality without the "yes, but" reflex that keeps teams stuck in resistance.
Most leaders skip this step, jumping straight to selling the benefits. But until people can genuinely accept "this is happening," they'll spend their energy fighting reality instead of building solutions.
It starts with identifying every objection you have and then transforming each "yes, but" into a "yes, and" statement. The shift is immediate.
Your action plan:
- List your top 3 objections to the change your team is facing.
- Rewrite each one starting with "Yes, and..."
- Share these reframes with your team—not as mandates, but as conversation starters.
- Watch resistance transform into curiosity.
Why this works: When people feel heard and understood, their defenses drop. You're not dismissing their concerns, you're helping them find a bridge from where they are to where they need to go.
2. E - Embrace Uncertainty
Improv is all about making choices in the unknown. Sound familiar? Most change feels murky, but that's not a bug; it's where creativity thrives.
Here's what I've learned from 30 years of improv: The performers who struggle are the ones trying to control the entire scene. The ones who shine? They get comfortable with not knowing what comes next.
In business, uncertainty paralyzes teams because we've been trained to believe that we need to have all the answers before we act. But in times of rapid change, waiting for certainty is waiting for obsolescence.
Your action plan:
- Ask your team: "What uncertainty are we facing right now?"
- Follow up with: "What could we discover if we stopped trying to eliminate it and started learning from it?"
- Set "uncertainty deadlines"—give yourself X days to gather information, then act.
- Celebrate small experiments, even (especially) the ones that don't work.
Pro tip: Reframe uncertainty as "opportunities to play and learn." When your team stops seeing unknowns as threats and starts seeing them as data-gathering missions, everything changes.
3. S - Start Small
Don't wait until everything is "ready." The biggest mistake leaders make with change is trying to go too big, too fast. They announce the new system, set ambitious deadlines, and wonder why adoption is slow and painful.
Small steps build confidence. They also build competence. And when people feel confident and competent, they naturally want to do more.
Your action plan:
- Identify the smallest possible first step for your team.
- Make it so low-stakes that failure feels insignificant.
- Build in reflection time after each small step.
- Use early wins to fuel bigger experiments.
The psychology behind small steps: When people feel safe to experiment without judgment, they naturally become more curious and creative. The goal isn't perfection, it's momentum. Each small success builds confidence for the next, slightly bigger step.
4. A - Access Your Creative Genius
You have it. Your team has it. Everyone has it. A creative genius.
It might just be dormant. The magic happens when people start playing, exploring, and testing what else is possible.
Most adults have been trained out of creative thinking. We've learned to color inside the lines, follow protocols, and avoid looking foolish. But creativity isn't just something nice to have in times of change. It's a survival skill.
Creative thinking is what helps teams find unexpected solutions, adapt quickly, and see opportunities others miss. It's also what makes change feel energizing instead of draining.
Your action plan:
- Schedule "stupid idea time:" 15 minutes where all ideas are welcome.
- Expose your team to inspiration from outside your industry.
- Ask "What would happen if we tried...?" instead of "Why won't this work?"
- Reward creative attempts, not just creative successes.
Advanced move: Create "creative challenges" around your change initiative. For example: "How might we use AI in ways our competitors haven't thought of?" or "What would this process look like if we designed it from scratch?"
5. N - Notice and Nurture Emotions
Change doesn't happen in spreadsheets; it happens in people. How are your people actually feeling? Overwhelmed? Curious? Threatened?
We love to pretend business is logical, but every decision has an emotional component. Ignore the emotions, and you'll get compliance at best. Address them, and you unlock engagement.
The most successful change leaders I know understand the power of emotions. They notice when energy shifts, when enthusiasm wanes, when fear creeps in. And they address it head-on.
Your action plan:
- Hold regular "temperature checks"—not about progress, but about feelings.
- Name emotions when you see them: "I'm sensing some anxiety about this deadline."
- Ask "What would make this feel different?" and really listen to the answers.
- Share your own emotions about the change—vulnerability builds trust.
What to watch for:
- Overwhelm: Usually means too much, too fast. Scale back.
- Apathy: Often indicates masked fear or exhaustion. Dig deeper and get people involved.
- Excitement: Contagious when authentic. Amplify it.
- Skepticism: Usually contains useful information. Ask and learn what you can.
6. D - Dig Deeper
You don't get buy-in by talking at people. You get it by asking better questions and creating space for real answers.
Most change communication is one-way: "Here's what we're doing and why it's good for you." But real engagement happens in conversation, not presentation.
The best change leaders are master question-askers. They're genuinely curious about their people's perspectives, concerns, and ideas. And they do something with what they learn.
Your action plan:
- Replace "Here's what we're doing" with "What are your thoughts on this?"
- Ask follow-up questions: "What concerns you most?" "What excites you?" "What would success look like to you?"
- Create multiple ways for people to share input (not everyone speaks up in meetings).
- Close the loop—tell people what you heard and what you're doing about it.
Power questions for any change:
- "What's your biggest concern about this change?"
- "What would make this easier for you?"
- "What would you do if you were leading this change?"
- "What are we not talking about that we should be?"
People Follow Energy
Whether you're implementing AI, reorganizing your team, or setting a new vision, remember: People follow energy. If you want them to engage, spark that energy by shifting their mindset first.
That's what the YES AND Framework is built to do.
What's Next?
This framework is at the heart of my upcoming book and the new speaking programs I'm developing. I'm constantly refining it based on real-world applications like that government session.
If you're curious about how the YES AND Framework could transform your change efforts, I'd love to hear from you. What change is your team facing? Which of these steps resonates most? Visit https://bookme.name/avishp/lite/keynote-discussion-with-avish-parashar to set up an appointment to talk them over with me, and see if I can help!