017 - Solo Episode - Say “Yes, And!” to Being Present

Yes, And! With Avish Parashar

In this episode of Yes, And with Avish Parashar, I dive into the critical yet often overlooked skill of being present. Whether you're in a leadership role, working with coworkers, or navigating personal relationships, being fully present in the moment is the key to effective communication, emotional management, and fostering positive outcomes in challenging situations.

This episode is a follow-up to my conversation with David Dye, where we discussed powerful phrases for dealing with workplace conflict. While David’s book offers tactical tools for conflict resolution, today we zoom out to explore how being present enhances those tools and improves overall communication.

I also share a fun improv game, Last Letter, First Letter, to demonstrate the power of being truly present in your interactions. This game requires listening attentively to your partner and being in the moment, and it serves as a practical technique you can use in your own life.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Presence: How being fully present helps improve communication and creativity, whether in the workplace or at home.

• Managing Emotions: Why being present allows you to manage emotions, especially in high-stakes conversations or conflicts.

• Validating Others: How actively listening to understand helps validate the other person’s feelings and fosters better relationships.

• Improv as a Tool: How improv games like Last Letter, First Letter can train you to be more present in conversations and how you can use this skill in real life.

Resources/Links:

• David Dye's book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00HZPM7NQ

• David’s Website: Let’s Grow Leaders

• Listen to my previous episode with David Dye: https://avishparashar.com/say-yes-and-to-workplace-conflict-and-collaboration-with-david-dye/

• In a World Of…Improvised Movie Homages Podcast: http://avishandmike.com/