Creativity remains a mystery to a lot of people, but even creative people get stuck. When the well goes dry — what do you do?

Leadership Eastside recently hosted a happy hour exploring creativity and improv as leadership tools at Wilde Rover in Kirkland. Bill Stainton of Comedy Central started the evening off with some keys to developing creative solutions on demand.

Stainton was the executive producer of Seattle’s legendary comedy TV show “Almost Live!” During that time, he won 29 Emmy Awards and worked alongside people like Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Even the powerful teams behind those successes get stuck — but Stainton showed the audience how the keys to getting unstuck lie in our ability to embrace the people that see things differently than we do. According to Stainton, if you’re stuck — don’t look for more people like yourself or the others already around you. He recommends finding people that are totally different than you to get breakthrough innovation. It’s the mix of different thinking that ignites innovation, not “more of the same.”

Andrew McMasters, founder of Seattle’s Jet City Improv and the executive producer of the Seattle Festival of Improv Theater, took the floor next. He led the audience in some brief experiential exercises using improv as a leadership tool. According to McMasters, a particular form of communication can make or break companies, organizations and governments when met with out-of-the-box or unfeasible ideas. McMasters taught an approach used by experienced improve actors to overcome typical conversation stoppers like responding with, “No,” or “Yes, but …” His instruction is to respond with “yes, and …” to help move the discussion forward. Without being shut down, ideas could be allowed to grow and be expanded upon with all parties jumping in and play around with it. By continuing the conversation, one can support leadership development, decision making and crucial communications skills.

Leadership Eastside informs, equips and connects community leaders to meet community needs through state of the Eastside forums, adaptive leadership skill development and an extensive network of people and organizations who make a difference on the Eastside. For information, visit www.leadershipeastside.com.