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A Handshake Changes Everything
I just came out of an investor meeting where I had to walk away before the end of the meeting. And I tried to shake hands with two of the investor partners and there was that awkward moment of …..I put my hand forward and then nobody reciprocated. Which makes me want to share my experience with you and talk to you about why handshakes are so important. Doing it right, it’s essential.
When they did not reciprocate, I felt embarrassed, insecure. I kept my hands out there for a second and then brought it back, smiled, walked away and blushed.
And that’s the way everybody should do it. You know me, I’m a big fan of emotional intelligence and how we get a better understanding of our social interaction, social awareness, so that we can be very effective as we interact with others. That starts with a powerful handshake, a good handshake. This is gender neutral. Both men and women should use their hands to establish powerful contacts with their interlocutors.
How do we do it? Number one, look people in the eyes. Even if that challenges you, look people in the eyes, extend your hand and give a firm handshake. It does not need to be a Mike Tyson handshake, but it does need to be a firm one.
And it doesn’t need to be too long either. Make sure that when you reach out, you establish a powerful connection. You look people in…
