I have run numerous networking courses and, time again, I say to people ‘don’t do a lettuce leaf handshake’ when you meet someone. There’s nothing worse than an insipid handshake whereby someone places their mitt inside yours and tries to pass it off as a meaningful introduction. The thing clasped by your own palm isn’t another’s hand but merely a limp piece of flesh! Titter ye not.
It’s a sign of your character and if your handshake is not, as a minimum, firm, then I truly believe that people think you are not confident and, even worse, probably not that successful. At best they will give you scant time, at worst they will look for someone else in the room to talk to. Now fast forward. You’ve clocked everything I’ve said above? OK, now enter macho man….the deluded individual who believes that a sign of confidence is a ridiculously firm handshake, nay a bone crusher. I have seen some women fall victim to this and, indeed, many men. Personally I had a bad experience after blistering my right hand as a result of erecting shelves in my new garden shed. Laughing over? My hand really hurt so it didn’t go down too well when some networking comedian gave me a grip of iron handshake. It really was excessive and broke the skin on my blister leaving blood running down my hand. Such behaviour really isn’t called for and, guess what, people might avoid you or end up talking about your handshake when, in fact, you want them to talk about your business and the services you have to offer. Give a firm handshake by all means but don’t be stupid about it. Anyone out there got any similar experiences? Let me know.
Good job!
I can’t believe people put so much thought into something as unimportant as a handshake. While I really don’t mind them in general, when people believe that they have to be a certain way and judge you based upon a so-called limp noodle of a handshake, then that’s pushing it too far. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter.