Yes, And a Pandemic

Kelly Leonard spent most of the 90s and 2000s as
an executive producer at the world famous Second City improv
theater in Chicago. He is personally responsible for hiring Tina
Fey, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, and Steve Carell. 


He also wrote the book Yes, And…, a book on creativity and
collaboration in the workplace, based on lessons from improv
comedy and Second City.


In this conversation, Kelly talks us through Second City’s Pivot
into virtual improv performances during the 2020 pandemic. We
learn about the difference between improv and spontaneity, how to
gain agency over our emotions, a brilliant exercise you can do to
achieve clarity and mental calmness in difficult times, why he
describes COVID as a period of “sway,”  and of course, he
teaches us the “yes, and…” principle.


This was a blast, and a perfect way to close out an absolutely
wild year of Pivot stories.


Connect with Kelly:


Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/klsecondcity/

Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-leonard-he-him-his-b8495047/

Podcast: https://www.secondcityworks.com/podcast



Watch instead of listen:
https://beyondnetworkingpodcast.com/kelly-leonard/


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