What happens when you shift from saying “Yes, but…” to “Yes, and…”? On October 14, nonprofit leaders in Harrisonburg, Virginia, explored that very question during a workshop hosted by the Interactivity Foundation’s Collaborative Discussion Project (CDP). Led by IF Fellow in Residence Eric Schmucker, the day focused on practical tools to foster meaningful collaboration—tools these nonprofit administrators could use immediately in their own work.
From the start, this wasn’t your typical workshop. Eric set a clear expectation: “Please come ready to play.” Participants jumped right into exercises from the CDP Toolkit like What is Collaborative Learning? and Yes and vs. Yes but, where they experienced first-hand how different conversation approaches can lead to very different outcomes. As one participant put it: “The Yes But/Yes And activity was very powerful information—and was fun!”
Throughout the day, participants—nonprofit leaders from The Gus Bus, Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program, Claude Moore Precious Time, and James Madison University’s Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services—connected the exercises to the challenges they face in their roles. A key moment came during the Listening Activity, where attendees practiced “listening to understand” rather than simply waiting for their turn to speak. One participant reflected, “It highlighted my strengths as a listener, but also my areas of growth.”
“I am still thinking about the listening activities and how they can be applied to my personal and professional life”
The activities weren’t just abstract concepts; they were directly applied to participants’ day-to-day roles in nonprofit leadership, where collaboration is essential. By the end of the day, participants had practiced key skills like managing group dynamics, expanding thinking through metaphors, and building on the ideas of others. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with one participant summing it up: “Overall, the workshop was highly engaging. It provided relevant and practical information along with activities that offered participants insights into their own attitudes and skill sets. Honestly, this was the best professional development I’ve attended in years.”
Eric Schmucker’s facilitation was praised across the board, with every participant rating it as “Outstanding.” His approach encouraged everyone to actively engage with the material, share their experiences, and reflect deeply on how they could bring these new skills into their work. As one participant shared, “we received meaningful feedback in real time, which is key to how I retain and apply information. I absorbed valuable insight from the guidance during the session.”
“Honestly, this was the best professional development I’ve attended in years.”
Your Invitation to Collaborate
The best part? The resources shared during the workshop aren’t limited to those in the room. The Collaborative Discussion Project Toolkit is available online for free, and the Interactivity Foundation is ready to bring these workshops to nonprofits, schools, and other organizations.
Whether you’re looking to build stronger collaboration in your team or need a customized facilitation workshop, we’d love to work with you.
Ready to bring these tools to your team?
👉 Start using the free Collaborative Discussion Toolkit
👉 Reach out for support running a session for your team or group
Learn more about the fantastic participating organizations: The Gus Bus, Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program, Claude Moore Precious Time. View Eric Schmucker’s IF profile here.
