Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

About Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

Uplevel your life, team, organization and the world with the power of "yes, and!" Unlock the power of "Yes, And" to transform your life, your work, and your world. Hosted by Avish Parashar, a funny keynote speaker and leading expert in applied improvisation, this podcast dives deep into the principles of improv comedy and shows you how to apply them to real-life challenges and opportunities. Whether you're a leader looking to inspire your team, an individual aiming to elevate your personal and professional life, or simply someone intrigued by the art of improvisation, this podcast is for you. Why Listen? In each episode, Avish Parashar, a renowned speaker and trainer with years of experience in applied improvisation, shares valuable insights on how to bring the "Yes, And" mindset into your everyday life. Through engaging interviews, solo explorations, and even some improv games, you'll learn how to harness the power of positivity, creativity, and adaptability to navigate uncertainty, build stronger relationships, and achieve your goals. The "Yes, And" philosophy is more than just a tool for the stage—it's a way of being that fosters growth, connection, and success. By listening, you'll discover how saying "Yes, And" can help you: Enhance your leadership skills by fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within your organization. Unlock your personal potential by embracing challenges with a positive and adaptive mindset. Learn practical strategies for applying improvisational techniques to improve communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. About Avish Parashar Avish Parashar is not only a funny keynote speaker but also a passionate advocate for the power of "Yes, And." With a background in both performance and personal development, Avish brings a unique blend of humor, insight, and actionable advice to his listeners. His work in applied improvisation has helped countless individuals and organizations embrace change, drive innovation, and create a more positive, productive environment. What You'll Get Interviews: Engaging conversations with thought leaders, business experts, and creative professionals who embody the "Yes, And" spirit. Solo Episodes: Avish dives deep into specific aspects of applied improvisation, providing you with practical tips and techniques to implement immediately. Improv Games: Fun, interactive segments where Avish demonstrates how improv principles can be used to tackle real-world challenges. Tune in to laugh, learn, and lead with the "Yes, And" Podcast. It's time to embrace the unexpected, say yes to new possibilities, and take your life and work to the next level. Subscribe now and join Avish Parashar on a journey of discovery, growth, and joy!

Publisher

Avish Parashar

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Sept 2024

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

60 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   060 - Say "Yes, And!" to Building a Culture of Innovation with Steve Lerch

   We tend to romanticize innovation as a lightning-strike moment: someone suddenly has a brilliant idea that changes everything. But what if innovation isn't something you wait for? What if it's something you can deliberately create? In this episode, I sit down with former Google executive and innovation speaker Steve Lerch, author of INNOVATE: Igniting a Culture of Curiosity and Perpetual Improvement, to explore how leaders can create environments where people continually question assumptions, share ideas, experiment, and improve. Steve spent nearly a decade at Google, where part of his work involved teaching Google's innovation philosophy to new employees. What I find particularly interesting about his perspective is that he doesn't view innovation primarily as a technology issue. It's a people and culture issue. We explore the four themes at the heart of Steve's approach—inspiration, curiosity, openness, and structure—and some surprisingly simple ways to put them into practice. Steve explains why setting an "impossible" 10X goal can generate ideas you'd never discover by thinking incrementally, why labeling something "Version 1" changes the way people think about it, and why sharing unfinished ideas can lead to better collaboration and innovation. We also talk about psychological safety, Google's famous 20% projects, Paul McCartney brainstorming "Get Back" in front of the other Beatles, and why constraints and structure can actually increase creativity rather than restrict it. If you're a leader who wants your people to stop defaulting to "this is how we've always done it" and start looking for better ways forward, there's a lot you can take away from this conversation. Key Takeaways Innovation is a culture, not an event. Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, leaders can create systems and environments that make innovation more likely. Use 10X goals to force different thinking. An impossible goal doesn't always need to be achieved; it can be a brainstorming tool that forces you beyond incremental solutions. Label things "Version 1." Treating processes, reports, meetings, ideas, and systems as Version 1 reminds people that they're allowed—and expected—to question and improve them. Share ideas before they're perfect. "Brainstorming out loud" lets other people contribute while an idea is still flexible enough to evolve. Psychological safety fuels innovation. People stop contributing ideas when they repeatedly feel judged, dismissed, or shut down. Seek perspectives outside your expertise. Sometimes the person who knows less about your specific problem can offer precisely the different perspective you need. Constraints can increase creativity. The right boundaries, rules, deadlines, and systems can give creative thinking direction instead of limiting it. Innovation needs structure. If creativity is always treated as something to do after the "real work" is finished, it probably won't happen. Relevant Links Steve Lerch's website: SteveLerch.com INNOVATE: Igniting a Culture of Curiosity and Perpetual Improvement: available in hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and eBook through Steve's website: https://www.stevelerch.com/book

2. 

   21 Sept 2026

   059 - Say "Yes, And!" to Playing with a Full Deck with Stephen Shapiro

   What if understanding who you're NOT is actually more important than understanding who you are? In this episode, I sit down with innovation expert, Hall of Fame speaker, and author Stephen Shapiro for a wide-ranging conversation about innovation, goals, productivity, personality, collaboration, and creating cultures where different types of people can do their best work. Stephen and I go back more than 20 years — although he probably didn't know it at the time! — and I've followed and learned from his work throughout my speaking career. So I took advantage of this conversation to revisit some of his ideas that have stuck with me over the years. We talk about his counterintuitive philosophy of "Goal-Free Living," why being called "the laziest person" became a compliment that shaped the way he thinks about work, and why he believes most of the best practices we learn from successful people should probably be ignored. Then we dive into Stephen's Personality Poker methodology and his new book, You're Not Playing with a Full Deck. Stephen explains how understanding your natural strengths — and, more importantly, what's missing from your "hand" — can help you figure out who you need around you. I even let Stephen analyze my own Personality Poker results, which leads us into a fascinating conversation about the difference between our innate traits and the traits we learn in order to become successful — and whether some of those learned behaviors can eventually start holding us back. Finally, we explore how these ideas apply beyond the individual to teams and entire organizations, including how leaders can identify what's missing from their teams, improve collaboration, and create lasting culture change. Key Takeaways Why Stephen prefers using a "compass" instead of a "map" when thinking about goals and the future How to "meander with purpose" while still moving your life and business forward Why being "lazy" can actually force you to rethink systems and focus on the work that creates the most value Why you should be skeptical of other people's "best practices" — even when their advice is good How Personality Poker helps you understand both who you are and who you are NOT Why the missing "cards" in your hand can reveal the people you most need to collaborate with The difference between innate personality traits and traits you've learned in order to succeed Why playing to learned strengths might sometimes pull you away from what naturally energizes you How teams can diagnose gaps that are hurting creativity, execution, decision-making, and collaboration Why the person who annoys you the most may actually be the person you need the most How organizations can move beyond one-time training and create culture change that actually sticks Relevant Links Stephen Shapiro:  theinnovationspeaker.com Personality Poker: personalitypoker.com You're Not Playing with a Full Deck book by Stephen Shapiro Avish's website: AvishParashar.com

3. 

   3 Aug 2026

   058 - Say "Yes, And!" to Human Judgment in the Age of AI with Lisa Ryan

   Artificial intelligence is transforming every industry—but how do we make sure we don't automate away the very thing that makes organizations successful: human judgment? In this episode, I welcome back keynote speaker, employee retention expert, and author Lisa Ryan to discuss her new book, Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People. Although the book is written around manufacturing, our conversation quickly expands into leadership, workplace culture, employee engagement, and the role of trust in an AI-powered future. We explore why AI should be viewed as a tool rather than a replacement for people, how organizations unintentionally erode judgment through a series of small decisions, why psychological safety matters more than ever, and practical ways leaders can introduce automation without losing the experience and wisdom of their teams. Whether you're leading a manufacturing operation or a knowledge-work team, you'll walk away with practical ideas for embracing technology while keeping people at the center of your leadership. Key Takeaways AI is most powerful when it enhances human judgment instead of replacing it. Human judgment should be treated as organizational infrastructure—not a soft skill. Small leadership decisions can quietly erode trust and decision-making over time. Veteran employees possess valuable "tribal knowledge" that organizations need to intentionally preserve. Psychological safety encourages employees to speak up before problems become crises. Before implementing automation, ask "why" repeatedly to uncover the real objective. Automate the work employees dislike most before replacing decision-making. Introduce AI first in stable, low-risk processes rather than your biggest operational problems. Include frontline employees early in technology decisions to increase buy-in and improve outcomes. Appreciation and recognition remain powerful leadership tools—even in highly automated workplaces. Relevant Links Lisa Ryan's website: https://lisaryanspeaks.com/ Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation, and People: https://a.co/d/05Z0GSHp Lisa Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaryanspeaks/ Manufacturers Network Podcast: https://www.manufacturers-network.com/ Avish Parashar: https://AvishParashar.com Say Yes, And! to Change: https://a.co/d/0dLj8ppw

Who has been a guest on Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Penny Zenker
• Greg Satell
• Toni Thomas

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

61

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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