Flat footed and on our toes

[Mike Weaver]

One of my improv teachers taught us that while waiting to be part of an improv scene, we all must stand with our weight forward, on the balls of our feet, ready for our opportunity to jump in. If we were to stand flat footed, or worse with the weight on our heels, we would be slow to respond to opportunities to enter a scene. Hyper awareness is a necessary reality for good improvisors and I think in life too.

As I consider my life and my work with organizations as an applied improv practitioner, what is emphasized is that sense of being ready to act, participate, add an idea at a moment's notice. The best organizations and the best lives are, like good improvisation, characterized by people who are completely invested in the moment, not hanging back letting others do all the work.

But, that said, is there a time to stand flat footed in the world? Is there a time to take a break? The Wall Street Journal a few months ago had an article about how American workers take less and less downtime. What is becoming natural and accepted is doing work on vacation with family and/or friends, and well into a weeknight. Technology begins to encompass our lives to such a point that we are available 24/7. This concerns me. I think a balance needs struck between ambition, awareness, investment in the moment and times to simply 'be' with no pressure to perform or do anything. I think there is a time and place to rest. For me, I crave the rest of Sundays and enjoy sleep. I hope you find times to rest too.

Thanks for reading.

[Robin McCulloch]

I've found in teaching students to improvise that at first encouraging them to jump in and be part of the action is important. Then when they start popping at the drop of a hat I have to ask them to think about why they want to enter the scene as well. I think it is about finding balance. So although I like the physical metaphore I think that it is a kind of emotional and mental openness to the action and moment that allows you to sieze the moment because you see what you can offer to move the scene forward.

Too often I find a student who jumps into the scene and then just stands there waiting for something to draw them into the action. If you're going enter a scene you need to do so because there is something you want to offer into the action. What you want it is what makes active in the scene and allows you to contribute. So you need to be open to the possibilities that occur in a scene and be ready and willing to enter and move things toward the possible.

[Jerry Kail]

Daniel, along those lines ... I was once involved in a group discussion in which there was one person who said not a single word the whole time. When asked why, he said, "Rather than try to rehearse in my head what I might say, I thought I would just sit back and listen so I could more fully participate." A paradox indeed.

[Daniel Knutson-Bradac]

I think the balance here is the importance of being in the moment, which is more of a Zen Like state. "on the balls of our toes" is future oriented....."when can I jump in?, how can I adapt?" It is only in the present tense, centered on our heels, that we can be with the other person, hear them and react authentically. The moment we're thinking about what to do is the moment we stop listening and being. The two states together: anticipation and presence. The tough paradox.

[Jerry Kail]

When I talk about applied improv with novices, there are times I feel as if I'm almost in the position of advocating a "permanent whitewater" state of being (to use Peter Vaill's term) - as in, "Chaos will always be with us, so you might as well learn a few tools to deal with it." Not exactly the kind of elevator speech I'm comfortable with. But you've set me to thinking, Mike - maybe we should also emphasize the improv tools/attitudes that counsel us to occasionally stay back on our heels, enjoy the scene(ry), let things unfold, and not just jump onstage and say "Look at me!" That's one small non-step for a man ...

[Leif Hansen]

Thanks Matt, good thoughts. As you wrote the first paragraph, I was thinking "I love that metaphor of 'leaning forward, on your toes' for life and yet..." I was thinking how I tend to be easily distracted and 'game' for opportunities (my work phone number is 877-I-AM-GAME!) and how I sometimes need more of a focused, centered stance...flat footed as you say. And then there you go in paragraph 3 and confirmed that (:
It also gels (gel sole?) with the LA Times article I just blogged about and our workshops helping people find ways to unplug and set boundaries.
And speaking of sabbath, our family has decided to take a 'low-tech' sabbath on Sundays (no computers and net primarily)...and its always been a good choice when we follow through...left feeling more focused, refreshed, connected with PEOPLE.
Thanks!
-Leif