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What Does Your Handshake Reveal About You?

Written by: Amy Elizabeth Casson

Article Overview: The way you shake hands tells a story about you and your company. Learn how to shake hands in a way that solidifies your story and builds rapport with potential clients.

What Does Your Handshake Reveal About You?

When John McCain announced his running mate this summer, his body language suggested that he wasn’t confident about his choice. He played with his wedding ring, his smile was tight lipped and his posture suggested a sense of uneasiness. We know from experience that our bodies do not lie and in John McCain’s case, we know that despite his words of praise for Sarah Palin, his body language suggested he wasn’t one hundred percent confident that he had made the right choice.

Using and understanding body language is a useful skill in any business or social relationship. Words alone may not secure the truth or true feelings in any conversation or situation. Just like John McCain, we unconsciously telegraph our thoughts as we fold our arms, cross our legs, shake hands, stand, walk and move our eyes.

Successful entreprenuers understand how to use their bodies to solidify their personal brand and enhance their spoken words. In fact, most individuals find it easier to express their feelings using their bodies rather than using their words.

Your handshake tells a story about you. It is vital to understand how your handshake conveys messages because it is often the first form of interaction a potential client has with you. In other words, you usually shake hands within the first 10 seconds of meeting a potential client and it is during these 10 seconds that they form opinions about you.

The handshake evolved as a gesture to say hello or good-bye or to seal an agreement so it should always be warm, friendly and positive.

The best way to shake hands is web to web for 2-3 seconds, making eye contact the whole time and smiling (see picture below). Handshake should be firm, but not too hard and definitely not too soft. The best way to measure appropriate pressure is to apply the same pressure as the person with whom you are shaking hands. Shaking hands this way conveys warmth, sincerity, confidence and equality

The “Upper Hand” handshake is the handshake to use if you are trying to convey dominance over another person. You will often see men use this handshake if they are in a power struggle with another man. Watch Donald Trump shake hands – he often uses this type of handshake (because his personal brand statement is: “I am the most powerful real estate developer in the world”.) Avoid using this handshake if you are trying to build rapport.

If someone offers you their hand in a “palm down” manner, respond with your hand in the “palm up” position, then put your left hand over their right hand to form a double-hander and straighten the handshake. By doing this, you are switching the power from him to you in a simple way.

The “Submissive Handshake” occurs when you offer your hand with your palm facing upward, symbolically giving the other person the “upper hand”. You want to be considered an equal, especially in business, so avoid this handshake at all costs.

Do you suffer from cold, clammy hands? Are you embarrassed to offer your hand to others because you suffer from sweaty hands? If this is the case, the first thing you have to do is relax. Keep a handkerchief in a pocket or handbag so that you can dry your palms immediately before meeting someone. Alternatively, you can casually brush your hand against your pants or skirt to dry your hands before shaking. No one will discover that you suffer from sweaty hand syndrome.

The “Double-Hander” handshake increases the amount of physical contact given by the initiator of the handshake and gives control over the receiver by restricting their right hand. The initiator of the double-hander is trying to convey a message of trustworthiness and honesty, but it can sometimes backfire – particularly in business. The “Double-Hander” is like giving a mini hug. So, if it’s not appropriate to give the person a mini-hug, avoid giving them a “double-hander” handshake.

The way you shake hands reveals a great deal about you and your company. Make sure that your handshake tells an accurate story about you.

Related Articles
  The Importance of a Good Handshake
  A Most Telling Sign
  Give Me A Hand
  The Fine Art of the Handshake
  Handshake Protocol

Article Tags: equality, eye contact, gesture, handshake, john mccain, personal brand, posture, right choice, running mate, sarah palin, shake hands, shaking hands, sincerity, social relationship, spoken words, true feelings, understanding body language, warmth, whole time, words of praise
Referred by: http://www.gloriastarr.com



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