0006: Have a firm handshake.

A simple handshake can say a lot about who you are. Are you a firm handskaker? A bone-crushing handhsaker? A limpy handshaker? Are you a handshaker at all? When I shake your hand, I should be able to tell who you are, what you are all about, what you stand for, your story. I want a good handshake, not something that leaves me cold or feeling like I don’t care.

CareerBuilder says “no matter the basis of your handshake, it should become part of your repertoire. Handshakes are a sign of trust and help build strong relationships.” But not all handshakes give off that aura.

CareerBuilder’s 10 handshakes to avoid:

1. The “macho cowboy”… is the almost bone-crunching clasp many businessmen use to shake hands. What are they trying to prove, anyway? There’s no need to demonstrate your physical strength when shaking another person’s hand.
2. The wimp… is usually delivered by men who are afraid to “hurt the little lady” when shaking women’s hands. Modern female professionals expect their male counterparts to convey the same respect they’d show their male colleagues.
3. The “dead fish”… conveys no power. While there’s no need to revert to the macho cowboy death grip, a firm clasp is more powerful than one that barely grabs the hand.
4. The “four finger”… is when the person’s hand never meets your palm, and instead clasps all four fingers, crushing them together.
5. The cold and clammy… feels like you’re shaking hands with a snake. Warm up your hand first before grabbing someone else’s.
6. The sweaty palm… is pretty self-explanatory, and pretty gross. Talcum powder to the rescue.
7. The “I’ve got you covered” grip… happens when the other person covers your hand with his or her left hand as if your shake is secretive.
8. The “I won’t let go”… seems to go on for eternity because the other person won’t drop his or her hand. After two or three pumps, it’s time to let go. “It’s a lot like a kiss – you know when it’s over,” Brody says.
9. The “southpaw”… happens when the person uses the left hand to shake because the right hand has food or a drink. Always carry your drink and plate with your left hand to keep your right one free for meet and greets.
10. The “ringed torture”… occurs when the person’s rings hurt your hand. Try to limit the number of rings you wear on the right hand to only one or two and be mindful of any that have large stones.
    

Are you one of these handshakers? If so, what does it say about who you are and who you are projecting yourself to be?

There is a man that used to sit in the pew in front of me at Beth Jacob every Shabbos. And every Shabbos we would exchange greetings with a handshake. He was, and probably still is, a “Wimp” handskaker. With every passing week, I would hope and, no pun intended, pray he would firm it up. But no. It was the weakest handshake ever. It would drive me crazy week in and week out. Why was his handshake so wimpy? Was it really because I am a woman and he didn’t want to crush my “feminine hands”? Please.

When you shake my hand, shake it well. Shake it so I know your story and who you are. Shake it like you mean it…