I suggested that Ducky instead adopt a third piece of advice, from that Daily Improvising expert Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!”
In saying that, Yogi was touching on what I believe to be an essential point about the improvisational attitudes: Rather than look upon apparent disagreements as contradictions that require an either-or choice, instead regard them as paradoxes that can be integrated with further reflection and creative thinking.
This attitude lies at the heart of all improv, I believe. It’s what allows a performance improviser to take an audience suggestion such as “You’re a Sumo wrestler performing Swan Lake” and create a scene that seamlessly weaves the incongruities together. It’s what allows him to take an off-the-wall offer from his partner, say a vigorous “Yes,” and deftly integrate it into his next action, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
And, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s also the attitude that underlies the application of the And Stance by the Daily Improviser. Rather than approach all issues with an either-or, I'm-right-and-you're wrong attitude, the Daily Improviser can adopt the "mindset" (all too rare these days, unfortunately) of "I'm right and you're right," that is, "We both have a piece of the truth in our possession." The real question then becomes, not "Who's right?", but "How do we move forward productively?"
No contradictions, just paradoxes! With this in mind, next time we'll look at how Ducky might derive guidance from both Marcus Buckingham and Carol Dweck.
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