Worst Case Scenario
Outcomes
- Release Fear: Imagine unlikely outcomes to reduce anxiety in complex situations.
- Practice Flexibility: “Yes, and...” thinking boosts adaptability in fast-paced environments.
- Embrace Absurdity: Embrace the bizarre to get comfortable with uncertainty.
- Strengthen Specifics: Concrete details enhance communication in presentations and proposals.
When to Use
- Start of Day / Meeting: Lighten the mood, loosen creative muscles.
- Anytime “Naming to Tame”: Turn vague worries into manageable scenarios.
- Before Client Pitches or Big Deliverables: Channel nerves into imaginative play rather than silent stress.
Instructions
Group Version
- Pick a Future Event: Example: “Tomorrow, I’ll present our new audit framework to a key client.
- Begin the Worst-Case Spiral: Next person responds with “Yes, and...,” adding an increasingly outlandish negative twist.
- Keep Escalating: Each participant continues the chain with “Yes, and...” to amplify the absurdity.
- Stop at the Pinnacle: End once you’ve reached a hilariously extreme scenario or the group runs out of ideas.
Solo Version
- Identify a Concern or Event: Write down an upcoming challenge or worry.
- Ask “Yes, and…” Repeatedly: By yourself, tack on bizarre worst-case outcomes until you can’t go further.
- Reflect: Note how outlandish the story becomes—and how manageable the real event may feel by comparison.
Time Frame
Flexible: ontinue until no new worst-case details arise (often 5–10 minutes is enough to get everyone laughing and feeling more relaxed).
Debrief
Consider closing with a quick reflection on real-life contingency plans or insights about managing sudden changes—tying the fun exercise back to PwC’s client-centered and risk‑aware culture.
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