We shake hands often and usually quite unconsciously. Whether it’s a few times a day or a few times a week, we do it when meeting someone or getting reacquainted with someone.
A handshake can tell quite a bit about a person. There are
many signals given during that brief handshake. Either you’re silently
communicating you’re supremely confident, utterly secure
or convincingly reassuring; or maybe you’re hinting that
you’re not a confident person, are insecure, or don’t care much about being in
the other person’s presence.
When you shake hands with someone, you should want them to
be left with the impression of strength, confidence, power, or of someone in total
control of their life. If you aren’t sure about the nature of your handshake have
a friend tell you.
How do you make it a “good” handshake? Make it firm. You can
always use the other hand to reassuringly grip both your hand and that of your boss,
colleague, client, or friend. But don’t overdo it and leave them with crushed
fingers.
Handshakes are very formal, old fashioned things. Forget
about the high fives, the Masonic twitches or anything gangster-style. Stick to
the traditional style of handshake. Good hand shakers are the ones who proffer
their hand first as well as shaking well. They exude confidence by announcing
their name and offering their hand at the same time thus showing keenness,
friendliness, a relaxed, confident approach, and a general air of
assertiveness. They also look you in the eye and say your name back to you.
People like hearing their own name and it’s a memory
enhancer for you while you are restating their name. In some places of
employment, hiring agents have been known to include their perception of a
person’s handshake as part of their evaluation during a job interview or when
deciding to promote someone to a leadership position.
So, take some time and find out more about your style of
handshake. If it’s giving off the wrong signals about you, then practice a new
handshake with someone you trust. Let your handshake
be an indicator of who you are and/or a promoter of your
leadership capability.
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