Your rep brings you a deal with non-standard terms. The prospect wants a longer implementation timeline, a different payment structure, and some custom deliverables.
You have two choices.
Option A: "That's not how we do things. Our standard terms exist for a reason. Tell them we can't accommodate that."
Option B: "Interesting. Let's figure out how we could make this work. What would we need to adjust on our end?"
Same situation. Completely different outcomes for every deal your team brings you going forward.
Here's what happens after Option A: Your rep stops bringing you creative opportunities. They learn that non-standard means no. They either force deals into your rigid box or they don't bring them at all.
And here's what happens after Option B: Your rep learns that you're a problem-solving partner, not a gatekeeper. They bring you more opportunities because they trust you'll help find solutions. Your pipeline grows because nothing gets killed before it's explored.
Your language as a leader shapes your team's behavior more than you realize. As you prepare for Q1 2026, the mindset you bring to these final months of 2025 will determine the culture your team carries into the new year.
Improv theater has a foundational rule: Never say "no" to your scene partner. Instead, accept what they offer and build on it. "Yes, and..." keeps scenes moving forward. "No, but..." kills momentum.
This isn't just a stage technique. It's a leadership philosophy.
Flexible leaders ask: "How can we make this work?"
Rigid leaders ask: "What could go wrong if we approve this?"
Both questions seem reasonable. Both leaders believe they're being responsible. But one builds momentum and trust while the other creates friction and fear.
Think about how this plays out across common leadership scenarios:
When reps bring non-standard deals:
When team members need accommodations:
When prospects have special requirements:
When someone proposes a new idea:
The rigid responses all have something in common: they shut down conversation. The flexible responses share a different trait: they open exploration.
If you constantly say "We can't," your team stops bringing you opportunities. They learn that bringing ideas to you results in rejection, so they stop trying. Your best creative thinkers either disengage or leave for environments where their ideas are welcomed.
If you ask, "How could we?" they bring you creative solutions. They learn that you're a collaborative problem-solver, so they involve you in challenges early. Your team becomes more innovative because exploration is rewarded.
Now, this doesn't mean saying yes to everything. That's not leadership.
The "Yes, And" mindset isn't about eliminating standards or approving every request. It's about how you engage with ideas before you decide.
Sometimes the answer genuinely is no. The deal terms really are unworkable. The accommodation really isn't possible. The prospect's requirements really don't fit your model.
But here's the difference: A "Yes, And" leader explores before concluding. A rigid leader concludes before exploring.
When you take time to understand the request, ask questions, and genuinely consider possibilities, your team feels heard even when the ultimate answer is no. They understand that you gave their idea fair consideration rather than reflexively rejecting it.
The exploration matters as much as the outcome.
"I looked at this from several angles, and here's why we can't make it work..." lands completely differently than "No, we don't do that."
One demonstrates thoughtful leadership. The other demonstrates gatekeeping.
The "Yes, And" mindset transforms how you handle one of leadership's most challenging responsibilities: performance conversations.
Too many managers approach underperformance with a "No, but" mentality. They see the problem, they know what the rep is doing wrong, and they tell them. End of conversation.
This approach fails for a simple reason: People don't change because you told them to. They change because they understand why and commit to the path forward.
Here's a fundamental principle for year-end: There should be no surprises. If someone doesn't know they're underperforming until December, you've failed as a manager all year.
Performance issues addressed in December feel like an ambush. Performance issues addressed throughout the year feel like coaching. Same feedback, completely different reception.
When you need to have difficult performance conversations, and November is the time to have them, not January, use this framework:
Start with questions, not statements.
"How would you rate your own performance this year? What do you think is getting in the way?"
This isn't a trick. Competitive salespeople usually know what they need to fix. They're often harder on themselves than you would be. Give them space to self-assess before you share your perspective.
When you start with questions, you create dialogue instead of a monologue. You learn whether they have self-awareness or are blind to their challenges. You discover obstacles you might not have known about.
Listen for self-awareness.
Pay attention to what they say. Do they identify the real issues or deflect to external factors? Do they take ownership or make excuses?
Most of the time, they'll tell you exactly what needs to change: "I need to be more organized." "I should prospect more consistently." "I know I've been distracted lately."
When they articulate the problem themselves, they're already halfway to solving it. Your job becomes helping them build a plan, not convincing them there's a problem.
Assess commitment honestly.
Ask directly: "Are you up for this, or is this a bad fit?"
This question gives them permission to admit something that might be true: maybe this role isn't right for them. Maybe their heart isn't in it anymore. Maybe they've been struggling to admit to themselves what you can both see.
Sometimes that conversation is a relief for everyone. They've been dreading coming to work, you've been dreading managing their underperformance, and honest acknowledgment opens the door to a better outcome for both parties.
Create clear action plans with specific timeframes.
Vague improvement goals produce vague results. "Do better" isn't a plan.
Define specifically: What changes in 30 days? What changes in 60 days? What changes in 90 days?
Make success measurable: How will you both know progress is happening? What metrics matter? What behaviors should shift?
This isn't about creating a paper trail for termination. It's about creating clarity that enables genuine improvement. People can't hit targets they can't see.
The "Yes, And" mindset extends beyond individual conversations to how you approach your entire team's readiness for Q1. November is your window to assess, align, and prepare. Here's the work that matters:
For each team member, can you answer three questions?
If you can't answer all three for every person, you have relationship gaps to fill before year-end. Schedule 30-minute 1-on-1s focused on understanding them as people, not reviewing their quotas.
These conversations are "Yes, And" in action. You're building on the relationship rather than limiting interactions to transactional management.
Plot every team member on a simple matrix: performance on one axis, culture fit on the other.
Your A-players (high performance, high culture fit) need retention strategies. What are you doing to keep them engaged and growing? Don't assume they'll stay just because they're succeeding.
Your solid contributors (good performance, strong culture fit) need development attention. Can they grow into A-players with the right coaching?
Your challenging performers (high numbers, culture problems) need an honest assessment. Are the results worth the cultural cost? Sometimes the answer is yes, but you need to make that decision deliberately.
Your misaligned team members (low performance, poor fit) need compassionate exits. Don't wait until January to have conversations you should have in November.
Who's showing warning signs of disengagement? Watch for sudden behavioral changes—someone highly engaged becoming withdrawn, or someone disengaged suddenly becoming very engaged (they might be preparing their records for exit).
Which roles would be hardest to replace? Your succession planning should prioritize these positions.
What relationships would you lose if key people left? Sometimes the departing person takes institutional knowledge and client relationships that take years to rebuild.
Start succession planning conversations now, not after someone gives notice. The "Yes, And" approach here is building bench strength proactively rather than scrambling reactively.
Ensure no one on your team will be surprised by their year-end review. If there are difficult conversations to have, have them before the holidays, not after.
Nothing destroys trust faster than a negative year-end review that comes out of nowhere. If you've been coaching throughout the year with honest feedback, the formal review should simply document what you've already discussed.
The mindset you establish in November and December carries directly into Q1. Teams that enter January with momentum, clarity, and trust outperform teams that enter confused, surprised, and defensive.
A "Yes, And" culture in Q4 creates:
A "No, But" culture in Q4 creates:
The difference isn't in your formal policies or strategic plans. It's in the thousands of small interactions you have between now and year-end. Every time you respond to a request, give feedback, or engage with an idea, you're either building "Yes, And" culture or reinforcing "No, But" patterns.
Before you head into another week of leadership, take an honest inventory:
Your answers reveal whether you're building the culture that wins in 2026 or maintaining patterns that will cost you in Q1.
The leaders who thrive next year are the ones who prepare their teams now, not just strategically, but culturally. They create plans, establish the right mindset, and continue to build trust and relationships.
The entire "Yes, And" concept and mindset is how you approach leadership itself.
Schedule a strategy call and we'll review your specific team challenges, identify your highest priorities, and create your action plan for the final weeks of 2025.
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