The power of AND
The word “and” is very powerful. It opens doors. It encourages interaction. It’s a positive word. It shows there is more. Whether you use the word “and” or the ever-popular ampersand symbol, we encourage you to consider using it more – we do…often.
It’s in our name
It’s no accident we loved the name of our company when we first thought of it, but especially because of the &. The ampersand is an elegant symbol and more interesting than the word “and.” There is power in its connectivity. The use of a symbol, rather than a word, makes it stick out and seem more commanding. It’s a symbol with a personality. What is the ampersand? It’s a ligature (a character consisting of two or more letters joined together) of the letters E and T (et being the Latin word for and). So, you might be thinking, why is it called an ampersand. The answer to that one is much more complex. Since we don’t want to bore you, the simple answer is it’s a contraction of “and per se, and.”
We use it while facilitating sessions
During our ideation or strategy sessions we lay down some simple ground rules. You know, the basics such as all ideas are good ideas (at least in the beginning they are), avoid simultaneous discussions (otherwise, be prepared for the wrath of the cowbell), stay focused on the objective, don’t defer to anyone, and do not use the word, “but” – only “and.”
An example
Person #1: I think we should [insert anything here]
Person #2: But, that didn’t work when we tried it 2 years ago. Or, but so and so wouldn’t like it. Or, but we don’t have the budget for that. You get the idea. If you are person 1, don’t you just feel great now?
Instead, try this to move the conversation forward by replacing the “but” with an “and.”
Person #2: And, our first step should be to dig into the details around the last time we tried it to see what can be changed to improve performance this time. Or, yes, and we should try to see if we can change the scope or increase savings to make this idea financially possible.
Regardless if you are in a brainstorming session, a formal meeting, or simply having a casual conversation with a friend, when your response (after being an active listener of course) starts with the word “but”. . . you just shut down the other person. It’s dismissive. It’s the short version of saying, “I heard your idea, however, I don’t agree.” It’s kind of the equivalent of complaining to someone without offering a solution or a path forward. It’s the path forward we want to establish. Instead, start with the word, “and.” It acknowledges you heard the other person, and although you may not fully agree with the point, or you actually may, you can then effectively offer up another option or build upon what they said. Now you’ve just given the other person a high five or thumbs up.
We’ve all seen this in action. Don’t be the “yes, but” person. “And” is so much better.
Now back to our name
Sometimes you may want to hear the long version of the story, get the full background, insights learned, and learn about the thought process that led to the recommendation. Other times, you want the short version - just the bullets points or the simple answer. And sometimes you want both. Either way, you have options. It’s the power of the “and.”