Give them a hand

DAVE SHERMAN

Last month, I started to share with you the three steps to a successful introduction. The first step is a great smile. I know it's just a small facial expression that is caused by the upturning of your lips and the displaying of many of your teeth, but it's really so much more.

A smile shows friendship. It can brighten another person's day. It puts other people at ease; leaves a favorable impression on others; makes you look confident, warm, and approachable; and best of all, it has the ability to create lifelong relationships.

Unfortunately, a great smile will only get you so far. Eventually, you're going to have to approach people to introduce yourself, and that leads me into the second step of a successful introduction, which is a great handshake.

Handshakes are very important to me. In January 1973, one month before my bar mitzvah, my father sat me down and formally explained the proper way to shake hands. I still remember that precious moment with my dad like it was yesterday. Unfortunately, my father passed away five short years later, but this handshaking lesson lives on in me. My handshake has become one of the most recognizable aspects of my personality, so much so that it thoroughly impressed my future father-in-law when I first met him.

Many times our handshake forms the first impression - an impression that speaks very loudly about who and what we are. What is your handshake saying about you? Here are five tips to help you insure a powerful and confident handshake in business:

Always stand up - whether you are a man or a woman, you should rise.
Face the person squarely, not at an angle.
The handshake should be a "web-to-web" contact between your thumb and index finger. By shaking hands web-to-web, this avoids the dead fish or fingertip-only handshake.
Thumbs should be straight up. Avoid rolling one hand over or under for this may often denote a power struggle.
Make direct eye contact and hold the gaze through the introduction.

(Thank you to Cynthia Grasso from the Charleston School of Protocol.)

Your handshake is a very important part of who you are. Once you understand and implement the correct etiquette, it can be a powerful tool for you in business and social situations. I teach people to think of their handshake as their signature. Use it as a tool to speak about yourself in a positive and powerful way. See you next month.

Dave Sherman is the owner of Connection Pros, a speaking, training and consulting organization that helps people create connections with potential business contact. His Web site is www.connectionpros.com. Contact him at 480-860-6100 or e-mail at dave@connectionpros.com.

Home