Handshakes are gestures of acknowledgement and greeting that provide important clues about the person who’s hand you’re shaking. Lots of us make use of them everyday so you should spend time learning how to properly perform them.
You should take hold of the other person’s hand firmly when shaking hands. The strength of your grip will convey if you’re confident or not. Make eye contact but maintain a distance of an arm’s length. After two or three shakes of their hand, briefly pause, and then release your grip of their hand. Utilize your eyes, tone of voice and smile to convey a positive message. That is a perfect handshake but there are some common variations in use by others.
The I’ll Take The Lead Shake – The person who initiates this wants to communicate that they are in control. They’ll take hold of your right hand using their right hand and position their left over the shake like a glove. They do this to imply they’re trustworthy but you’ll likely feel overpowered and uncomfortable.
The Bone-Crushing Shake – There’s both a crush of your fingers plus an overstated up / down movement whilst they’re grasping your hand. They’re sending you a message that they believe or know that they are stronger than you and that they are going to control this situation. Those that shake hands like this desire to be seen as being confident but they usually give the impression of being aggressive.
The Slippery Shake – These people dislike shaking hands and want to get it over promptly. They’ll take hold of your fingers softly, then let go, leaving your hand hanging in mid air. Keeping you at a distance makes them feel more comfortable and they likely favor to avoid even minimal intimacy with others.
The Limp Wrist Shake – This handshake feels as if the person you are greeting has no feeling in their hand and they just hang it in front of you expecting you to do all the work. People who do this give others a weak impression of themselves. It communicates that they aren’t a threat but also that they can’t be counted on.
The Body-Basher Shake – The other person will seize your hand in a dominant squeeze and pull you towards them. Their free hand will then likely be slapped over your elbow or shoulder. Unless you share emotional bonds with the person be suspicious as they’re trying too hard to appear your friend and are probably looking to take a shortcut to earning your trust.
