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Most leaders shut down ideas without realizing it. A "yeah but" in a meeting. A quick correction before someone finishes. The team quietly learns to stop bringing anything new. Will Dennis runs Unscripted Productions, an applied improv studio that trains Fortune 500s, hospitals, and schools on the fix. It comes back to two words. Yes, and.
In this episode, Will and BJ unpack why "yes, and" is the most underrated leadership tool out there. What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all Super Bowl run. Why one company tests emerging leaders on whether they hold the spotlight or stand in it. And the hardest line to sit with: a leader's real job is to work themselves out of one.
Topics discussed:
00:00 - Why we're talking about improv, not AI
02:00 - Improv as the safest place to fail
05:00 - How "yes, and" turns down the heat in any room
14:18 - What Nick Sirianni was secretly doing all season
19:03 - The hidden test for who actually gets into the leadership program
24:23 - The most powerful sentence you can hear in a locker room
24:47 - A leader's real job is to work themselves out of one
29:24 - A boardroom hack any leader can steal tomorrow
34:27 - Rapid fire: books, the word sonder, and dinner with Adam Grant
38:55 - Why improv is not the thing you think it is
Connect with Will Dennis:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjdennis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unscriptedproductions
Website: https://www.unscriptedproductions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unscriptedprod
Connect with BJ Kraemer:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bj-kraemer-9a0855b/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bj_kraemer/
Website: https://mcfaglobal.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bcvcAw0rigwymZCwZgfgN?si=45fc1e07c82742ee
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-blueprints/id1561090224
This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com
What is Leadership Blueprints?
Leadership Blueprints is a podcast dedicated to helping leaders align teams, navigate chaos, and accomplish the mission. Hosted by BJ Kraemer—West Point graduate, combat veteran, and President & CEO of MCFA—this show dives into the principles, stories, and strategies behind effective leadership.
With a background in military service and experience leading teams in business, infrastructure, and complex projects, BJ understands that success comes down to execution, adaptability, and leading people well. Through in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders across business, sports, the military, and beyond, Leadership Blueprints will help you bring your vision to reality on projects that shape communities and industries.
Whether you’re leading in the boardroom, on the field, in the military, or within your own organization, this podcast is designed to provide the tools and mindset needed to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Subscribe now and start building your Leadership Blueprint.