Expanding on a theme explored in Negotiation Journal’s last special issue on critical moments, this paper looks at key principles of improvisation and how they may apply to critical moments in negotiation. Improvisational acting encourages us to explore the “what ifs” and to focus on the power of saying “yes” rather than “no”—and “yes, and” rather than “yes, but”—as we listen to and interact with one another. The misconceptions of the meaning of “yes, and” in business and negotiation are also discussed.

The author explores the art and the science of acting in improvisational theater and how it relates to the unscripted critical moments in negotiation. Without any preparation, actors negotiate a scene through a series of offers and beats that builds to a comic crescendo and ends with a slapstick solution that delivers laughs, solidifies relationships, and keeps them coming back for more. The actor/author shows how, by actively listening, reading the cues of the performers, offering a clear point of view with a positive ‘yes, and’ perspective, and working together, the scene can evolve into an event that exceeds expectations and makes the most of each critical moment.