A classroom game to build analysis and evaluation skills in business lessons

Here’s a potentially valuable way of using a comedy skill to encourage students to build their analysis and evaluation skills - the “Yes and” Game…

Comedy Store regular Neil Mullarkey is a popular guest at business training events - he trains people to think creatively, using the skills of improvisation.

In this five-minute video, Neil demonstrates how the “Yes And” game can be used to develop a train of thought in business. One positive, bold statement leads onto another, and another, and another.

It is well worth watching the video all the way through the final (5th) minute - where Neil explains the key learning points from the game!

Essentially the game is one of connectives - where students could be encouraged to improvise the implications of a positive statement about a business. For example…

“We’ve sold over 1000 copies of our new product”
...
“Yes and, we’ve run out of stock”
...
“Yes and the warehouse manager is pretty annoyed”
...
“Yes and we’ve got five customers who say they will try someone else”