Inspiring Workplaces 
The Way Work Ought to Be!

#1,076 - June 4, 2025

Over the years I've written about the improv concept of "Yes, and..." and how this simple principle helps us remain open to accepting offers from other people and building on their ideas or suggestions rather than instantly shooting them down in seagull-like fashion. 

So, I love the idea of, "Yeah, maybe."  

This close cousin of "Yes, and" is referenced in the book Cultures of Growth by Mary C. Murphy. The phrase originates from Emma McIlroy, co-founder of the woman's apparel company Wildfang. McIlroy tells the story of stumbling upon what she imagined was the bone of a mammoth's foot at the beach when she was a budding seven-year-old paleontologist. Her mother, rather than rolling her eyes and saying, "Yeah, right!" opted for the far more supportive, "Yeah, maybe!" 

When we dismiss someone with a sarcastic "Yeah, right" it makes them feel stupid for making the suggestion, shuts down the conversation, and closes off any creative possibilities to explore the topic further. It's also a surefire way of ensuring the person suggesting an idea think twice before speaking up again. A "Yeah, maybe" response, on the other hand, keeps the conversation moving forward and leaves the door of possibilities wide open: No matter how improbable an idea or suggestion might seem there's maybe a chance there could be some buried treasure there! 

So, with a "Yeah, maybe" mindset, Emma's mother took her beach discovery to the museum. And no, it wasn't a mammoth's foot. It was actually a 200-million-year-old ichthyosaur skull - one of the best specimens of a skull anyone has ever found in Ireland!