On the Delight and Value of Being Impressed

I enjoy being impressed. Lately, I have been impressed by the laugh out loud humor of NBC's "The Office." Another delight has been David Whyte's brilliant cd series, "Clear Mind, Wild Heart" (www.davidwhyte.com). David's way with poetry helps open us to new ways to participate in life, and I am moved, inspired and mightily impressed. I've been impressed by an executive I've been working with, Paul Anderson. Paul leads with a finely tuned sense of wisdom, knowing how much and how little pressure to apply to his organization, as he steers it through a sea change in its relationship to construction safety. I could go on and on with examples.
Being impressed makes a huge difference to the way we experience life. Life would be dull without our being impressed. We would miss so much. It's the experience of being impressed that opens us to pleasure, admiration, respect, excitement, wonder, and so much more. We can be impressed by something mundane, e.g. the way a waiter comes around at just the right moment to re-fold our napkin. Or, by something awe-inspiring. (I'm remembering a visit I made as a 9-year old to Grand Teton National Park. The beauty of that place is utterly humbling and unforgettable.)

Being impressed also makes a huge difference to the way we work together. To be impressed takes being impression-able. This is when we're open, willing, and appreciative of others vs. closed, defensive, and cheap. When we're impressionable, we're curious about what others are saying, e.g. in the meeting. We're interested - and actively listen for - the merit of what's said, regardless of how big or small that idea may be, or out of whose mouth it's coming from.

When we're impressionable, people around us notice this and feel validated because of the way we're paying attention. People appreciate this kind of generosity. Being impressionable becomes a catalyst for the creation of ideas and allows us to create a dynamic where we're building off each other's ideas. It increases the kind of stakeholder energy we need to get most anything worthwhile done.

Something else I've noticed about being impressionable. It's how impression guides expression. The more open we are, the smarter the words are that come out of our mouth. Not only have we listened in an interested, creative way, our speaking grows more interesting and creative. Rather than being fixated on our own ideas, we become a force for the integration or blending of different ideas we're all putting out there. We do not have to know whose great idea it was that came out of the meeting because it was all of ours.

I'm curious to hear what you are noticing about your impressionability and how that's adding to the quality of your relationships, to what you're getting done and the way you're getting it done, especially in your work with others.