HOW IMPROV BUILDS STRONGER SCHOOL NUTRITION TEAMS THE POWER OF ‘YES, AND…’
I t’s a familiar moment. A team member brings up an idea in a staff meeting; maybe a new menu item or a way to speed up service. And the response? “We’ve tried that before.” “We don’t have time for that.” It’s not coming from a bad place. School nutrition teams are busy and stretched thin. However, those knee-jerk “No, but…” responses can quietly shut down communication, collaboration, and creativity. Now imagine that same moment with a different response: “Yes, and…” What if one small shift in our language and mindset could foster stronger
teamwork, better communication, and a more supportive team culture? Before I started working in school nutrition, I studied and performed improvisational comedy where there are no scripts, costumes, or props. Everything is made up in the moment, and the only way a scene works is if performers listen to each other, support each other’s ideas, and build on them together. When I started working in project and program management, I saw similar principles applied to high-performing teams: collaboration, psychological safety, and the willingness to learn from their mistakes. The same can apply to school nutrition teams. All departments have a common goal: to feed their students well. And achieving this common goal can begin with “Yes, and…”
At its core, “Yes, and…” is about two things: Yes = I’m listening. I’m suspending judgment. I’m accepting the reality of the situation. And = I will build on that reality. I will add to it. I will help it move forward. This does not mean you have to like the reality of a situation, but instead of shutting it down, you are choosing to keep the conversation going to work towards a solution. Let’s say a PTO member says, “We’ve gotten a lot of requests for vegetarian options.” A “No, but...” response is “That would be too expensive and time-consuming.” A “Yes, and…” response is “We can explore Meatless Mondays and gather student feedback to see what they’d enjoy.”
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