Yes, And! With Avish Parashar
Avish Parashar
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061 - Say "Yes, And!" to Being Bored, Awkward, and Rejected - Avish Appears on the "Today is the Day Changemakers" Podcast
This week's episode of Say Yes, And is a little different - because I'm giving up the host's chair. Recently, I joined Jodi Grinwald on her Today is the Day Changemakers podcast, along with guest co-host Fred Wasiak of Humanics Consulting. Jodi was kind enough to let me share that conversation here, which gives me the opportunity to introduce you to her work while also letting you hear a side of me that doesn't always come out when I'm the one asking the questions. And we covered a lot of ground. We talk about my journey from a quiet, introverted kid to engineer, improv comedian, and professional speaker; why the principles of improv apply far beyond comedy; and how switching from "Yes, but" to "Yes, and" can change the way we approach leadership, creativity, uncertainty, and change. But we also get more personal. I talk about my own struggles with approval seeking, distraction, social media, and the strange power one negative comment can have even when it's surrounded by a hundred positive ones. We explore why I've been intentionally trying to spend more time feeling bored, awkward, rejected, and frustrated—and why those uncomfortable states may actually be essential to creativity, growth, connection, and meaningful work. We also dig into why leaders often focus too much attention on vocal resistors while overlooking the much larger group of people who have simply become disengaged, why creativity often appears only after we start creating, and why one of the most important leadership skills may be the willingness to let go of your own idea and genuinely explore someone else's. If you've ever found yourself procrastinating because you're uncomfortable, resisting a change because you don't know exactly where it will lead, or saying "Yes, but" to an idea before you've really explored it, there's something in this conversation for you. And be sure to check out Jodi and Today is the Day Changemakers. I'll be turning the tables again when Jodi joins me as a guest on Say Yes, And in a future episode. Key Takeaways Get comfortable with discomfort. Boredom, awkwardness, rejection, and frustration aren't necessarily signals to stop. They can be signs that you're doing something that requires growth. "Yes, but" is a brake; "Yes, and" is an accelerator. Changing your default response can open possibilities in leadership, communication, innovation, and change. Boredom creates room for creativity. Constant stimulation makes it easy to escape the uncomfortable space where new ideas often emerge. Creation begets creation. Sometimes you won't think your way into the next great idea—you have to start creating before the ideas arrive. Don't wait until you have the entire path figured out. In uncertain situations, take a small step, learn from what happens, and adjust. Engage the disengaged. Leaders can spend enormous energy trying to convince their loudest resistors while overlooking the quieter people who could potentially be re-engaged. Let go and get curious. Strong leadership doesn't mean having every answer. Sometimes it means temporarily setting aside your own idea long enough to genuinely explore someone else's. Say "Yes, And" to yourself first. Before you can create a more collaborative, adaptable culture around you, pay attention to all the ways you may be shutting down your own possibilities. Relevant Links Avish Parashar: AvishParashar.com Say "Yes, And!" to Change: YesAndToChange.com Jodi Grinwald / Today is the Day: TodayIsTheDayLiveIt.com Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast: https://todayisthedayliveit.com/podcast Humanics Consulting / Fred Wasiak: https://humanicsconsulting.com/index.php/fred-wasiak/
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