Crafting a ‘Yes/And’ Mindset: A Formula for Collaboration & Creativity with Bob Kulhan

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Bob Kulhan is a professor at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business and an elite improv and sketch comedian. Bob is the Founder & CEO of Business Improv® – a 25-yr-old consultancy linking improvisation to business through behavioral sciences. His focus: People Skills. Human Connection.

His clients include a who’s who of businesses (from pharma to manufacturing to aerospace), universities, organizations, and government institutions. He has also worked extensively with entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, as well as small and medium size businesses.

He is the best-selling author of Getting to Yes And: The Art of Business Improv (Stanford University Press). Kulhan also created the dynamic online (asynchronous) program, Improvisational Communication in 2019, for those who want to study Business Improv in the comfort of their own homes, at their own pace.

A Few (AWESOME) Quotes From This Episode

• ‘Yes, And’ does not mean I agree with you—it means I’m here, I’m listening, and I’m building thoughtfully on what you’ve said.”
• “Follow the follower: Great leaders pay close attention to those they lead, because those people are actively teaching you how to lead them.”
• “As a leader, my job isn’t to have the right answer; it’s to find the right answer by fostering real collaboration.”

Resources Mentioned in This Episode 

• Improvised Dialogues: Emergence and Creativity in Conversation by R. Keith Sawyer
• The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for Prague - October 15-18, 2025!

About  Scott J. Allen

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• The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

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