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Handshaking is an art that should be mastered by everyone.
A handshake conveys far more than an initial greeting. It can establish a sense of trust, or it can ruin your career. While it may seem far-fetched, a handshake can make or break a relationship.
Scholars at Ohio Wesleyan University conducted an experiment on 150 undergraduate students to test the correlation of types of handshakes and perceptions of character traits. The students were put into a room designed as if it were a networking event. After the students introduced themselves to each other, they reported on what each handshake told them about the other person. The researchers found that firm handshakes related heavily to the perception of extroversion and emotional expressiveness while weak handshakes related negatively to insecurity and shyness. The results concluded that the firmer a handshake is, the more social and confident a person is perceived.
Firm, but not crushing, handshakes can give you the edge when it comes to first impressions.
Dr. Paul Jennings and his colleagues at Wichita State University tested the impact of nonverbal communication in professional organizations. They gathered 505 businessmen and women from a range of organizations and surveyed their opinion on nonverbal communication within their workplaces. After reviewing the responses, they concluded there is an overall desire for more attention to nonverbal cues. The participants noted the need for better body language and eye contact from young professionals during first impressions. Young adults lacked the ability to establish themselves as professionals because of, among other nonverbal behaviors, their poor handshakes.
While handshaking and nonverbal gestures differ within cultures, the technique within the United States is universal. If you can master a solid handshake, you are pretty much set for any first impressions – whether they be professional or personal.
The Dos and Don’ts of a handshake:
Do:
- Make eye contact
- Smile
- Have a firm grip
- Stand up & have tall posture – no slouching!
- Make it short and sweet
- Repeat the person’s name so you remember it
- Go for the web of the hand. You want the webbing between your thumb and index finger to meet the same spot on the other person’s hand.
Don’t:
- Have a limp hand
- Hold a drink in your right hand – nobody wants to shake a wet hand
- Shake for longer than three seconds
- Pump the other person’s hand more than three times
- Be too firm – the goal is to show confidence, not strength
- Stay sitting down. Stand up and show respect
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