IMPROVISATION, YES, AND THE RULES

IMPROVISATION, YES, AND THE RULES

Now, what exactly is the art and science of improvisation? Think of what a band of jazz musicians do. A jazz band has no leaders, no maestro, and no planned set. Any one of the band members can start strumming or humming a note then another picks it up, changes a bit, or simply adds to it. They don’t reject or exclude any note. They just keep on adding, twisting, turning, and, building until it takes form – any form – and then they celebrate the results. They go with what works and worry a little about notes that did not go well or did not jive.

Improvisation artists do the same thing with words, sentences, and stories. They  keep on adding, building, supporting, giving, and backing up their partners. Anyone! The goal is not to be hard and fast but to be free-flowing and creative. This is rapid-fire creativity in action that is all positive. There are no put downs, no complaints, no fears, no doubts, no negatives. It all ends up being a lot of fun too.

THE RULES

Improvisation is rapid, supportive creativity in action. It appreciates, it acknowledges, and it constructs. “Improv,” as it is called, never doubts, never questions, and never condemns any offer of a thought, a word, or a behavior. It is making things out of what is at hand, out of nothing.

The first, most powerful rule is to learn to respond to any offer or suggestions or idea with a “Yes, and” response. What the “yes” does is accept and what the “and” does is add and build, thus, allowing this interactive creation process to grow and develop. Give this concept some thought. Doesn’t every business idea need acceptance, appreciation, and support? This is the ultimate talisman of creativity – to be open and accepting, to support and build.

The other rules are:

1.       Whenever you add or build upon an idea, always sustain sense of play. Play is joyfully doing something in the present moment.

2.       Learn to live with ambiguity and failure. Be willing to move on into the unknown, the untested, the never before experienced.

3.       Listen. Listen with a deep and honest intention to change – to flex and adapt to the needs of the moment, to the needs of the stakeholders.

4.       Improve is a game. Storytelling is a game. Business and life is a game. Games have rules; thus, play the game by the stated or unstated rules.

5.       Have fun throughout while adding, listening, failing and playing the game. Have fun and relax.

These are the soft, tender, malleable rules of improvisation when creating and constructing in partnership with others. Your job is to lead or to be led. If your audience stumbles, just smile, support, and move on. If you stumble then do the same thing – move on. Yes, just move on!

By: Raju Mandhyan