Happy Accidents. Ford Frank

Ahearn, Frank Ford, David Wilk

      Happy accidents : how “yes, and” thinking helps you open hearts, change minds, and win together in a “no, but” world

Praise for Happy Accidents

      “If you are looking to unleash human potential in your organization, there is no better place to start than with the power in two words, ‘Yes, And.’ If you need proof of concept, this book and the entrepreneurial vision and lessons of the authors will provide a pathway.”

      – O. HOMER EREKSON, John V. Roach Dean and Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy, Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University

      “Working with Four Day Weekend changed my life. They instilled confidence in me and helped me believe in my own ability to impact the world in a positive way ’ by making people laugh and feel good.”

      – CRISTELA ALONZO, Actor, Writer, Comedian and Producer

      “This book is a must-read for people who yearn for a new way of working, thinking, doing and creating a better world.”

      – ERIK WAHL, New York Times bestselling author of Unthink

      “Read this book and heed its words ’ the ‘Yes, And’ philosophy can work wonders by opening minds and inspiring your family, your company, and your community to make the seemingly impossible happen.”

      – BETSY PRICE, Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas

      “Happy Accidents sets the table for creating a positive attitude and a better way of seeing the world, which impacts our lives in everything we do. From school to work to home, this is a great read about an optimistic approach to life that benefits all of us.”

      – MIKE MONCRIEF, Businessman, Philanthropist, former Texas State Senator and former Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas

HAPPY ACCIDENTSThe Transformative Power of“YES, AND” at Work and in Life

      David Ahearn, Frank Ford, and David Wilk

      Founders of Four Day Weekend Comedy

      Entrepreneurs-in-Residence at The Neeley School of

      Business at Texas Christian University

      Cover Design: Wiley

      Cover Image: © DonNichols / Getty Images

      Copyright © 2017 by Four Day Weekend, Inc. All rights reserved

      Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

      Published simultaneously in Canada

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      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Names: Ahearn, David, 1969- author. | Ford, Frank, 1967- author. | Wilk, David, 1966- author.

      Title: Happy accidents: how “yes, and” thinking helps you open hearts, change minds, and win together in a “no, but” world / by David Ahearn, Frank Ford, and David Wilk.

      Description: Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

      Identifiers: LCCN 2017025189 (print) | ISBN 9781119428565 (cloth)

      Subjects: LCSH: Attitude change. | Acquiescence (Psychology) | Creative thinking. | Success.

      Classification: LCC BF327 (ebook) | LCC BF327 .A34 2017 (print) | DDC 204/.4 – dc23

      LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017025189

To our family, our friends, and our fans:This happened because of you.You inspired us. You gave us a chance to shine.We couldn’t dream of what we’ve accomplished without youAnd to you, our readers:Listen to each other. Learn from each other. Laugh together.It’s the best way to improve the worldMay “Yes, and” transform your livesas much as it did ours

      Fourword

      Over the years, through various political, civic, and business engagements, we’ve had the privilege of getting to know some of the most talented, dynamic and, in rare cases, truly exceptional people anywhere. Four Day Weekend’s founding members David Ahearn, Frank Ford, and David Wilk are among them. We are honored to call them our friends, and proud to call them Fort Worth’s Greatest Ambassadors.

      Our shared “Happy Accident” started some 20 years ago, mostly on a whim. It was early on in their entrepreneurial and artistic journey, and the authors, along with another founding member, Troy Grant, made the auspicious decision to launch an improvisation and sketch comedy theater company in, of all places, our beloved city of Fort Worth, Texas. It was a leap of faith with clear risks and an uncertain landing. It took real courage, one borne of a belief in possibility and the power of the words “Yes, and” to change their lives for the better.

      To give you context, our city had never witnessed their kind of comedy before, and for their part, they’d never witnessed a city as wonderful as ours. And so formed the beginnings of a beautiful bond that has blossomed from a risky experiment into a 20-years and counting, massively successful “Yes, and” experience. It’s one that has touched the lives of thousands of people, and we can proudly say it has forever changed our city and our cultural landscape for the better. It has brought our people closer and made us feel a deep sense of pride about our home.

      Four Day Weekend’s philosophy of “Yes, and” offers an enchanting way of drawing hearts and minds together. It helps us recognize that life and work are best played as a team sport. It leads us toward placing value on a shared purpose, shared vision, and a shared experience for what can be a more optimistic, enriching, and supportive life experience for all.

      To us, and our broader Fort Worth family, it means one other thing: taking care of each other, no matter what. It’s true in times that are good and in those that are challenging. It applies to all of us’friends, neighbors, strangers and especially those in need. At times we are called upon to lift up our fellow citizens, and do our part. That’s the Fort Worth way, it’s