Leaving an Impression – Lessons from Otis Redding

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Over the long weekend in the US, my wife and I spent some time down in Los Angeles. We walked past the Grammy Museum, and since they had just opened a large Beatles exhibit, and it was a rather hot afternoon to be walking around outside, we decided to spend some time there.

Among the many exhibits we enjoyed, including the Beatles one, there was a section celebrating the life and music of Otis Redding. One of the most intriguing pieces of memorabilia and video at the museum was a video of Otis performing “Try a Little Tenderness” in Cleveland. As it turns out, the performance was the last one Otis would ever give, as he and several band members were killed in an airplane crash.

As I watched it, I couldn’t help but feel that the performance was both poignant and unforgettable. It was as if everyone involved almost knew it would be the last performance, even though that was impossible for anyone to have known.

Otis Redding was an amazing performer, and I’m sure that anyone who got to see him perform live would have walked away feeling like they had seen an incredible show, even when it wasn’t his last one. It’s not like he could have known this was the last and made some extra effort to make it amazing.

On the other hand, as a performer, he was aware that for many in the audience, this would be the only time they would see him perform, so he would have made an effort to ensure he left them with a good impression. Then, when it turned out to also be his last performance, he left all of us with one last good memory.

There’s a life lesson in there. There are probably a few life lessons in that, but the one that stuck with me as we left the museum that day was this idea of the impression we leave behind. The simple truth of life is that someday, we will interact with the people who are important to us for the last time, and most of us will not realize it is the last time. When we do, will we leave them with one final memory of how important they are to us, or will we leave them with a sharp word or deed? I know which one I would rather leave behind, to anyone, but especially to the people I care the most about.

We spend a lot of time, rightfully, concerned with making a good first impression. I don’t want to downplay that at all; it is important to treat everyone with grace, kindness, and compassion. When you don’t start a connection with another person, no matter how short, you never get another chance to make that first impression. Yet, we always know when we are meeting someone for the first time, and can choose what kind of first impression to make on them. With a last impression, that’s a bit tougher. Yes, in some situations, we can guess that this is our last opportunity to interact with someone, but much of the time, we don’t know when we’re leaving a lasting impression. We typically assume that we will, of course, interact with people again. But, maybe not. Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

What if you did know this was the last time you would get to talk to someone? What would you want them to know? What would you want to say to them?

Leave them with an impression that lasts a lifetime, just in case it needs to.