The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way business people interact. It replaced personal encounters with text messages and virtual meetings. As organizations shift back to in-person or hybrid workplaces, and individuals are once again attending networking or corporate events, it’s an opportunity to get back in touch – literally.
The best way to do that is to brush up on your handshaking skills.
A firm, friendly handshake has long been recommended in the business world to make a good first impression, and neuroscience research from Beckman Institute backs this up. Researcher Floris Dolcos and Department of Psychology postdoctoral research associate Sanda Dolcos, offer insight into just how important this practice is to the evaluations we make of one another.
Their results give a scientific underpinning to long-held beliefs about the role a handshake plays in our business dealings. Dolcos put it this way, “I would tell people to be aware of the power of a handshake. We found that it not only incrases the positive effect toward a favorable interaction, but it also diminishes the impact of a negative impression. Many of our social interactions may go wrong for a reason or another, and a simple handshake preceding them can give us a boost and attenuate the negative impact of possible misunderstandings.”
Just remember, it’s not every handshake that leads to positive results. In fact, there are some you’d be wise to avoid. Here are a few negative handshakes – and how they are most often interpreted:
The bone crusher. An overly macho grip where the person squeezes too tightly gives the impression of being overbearing or insensitive.
The dead fish. A cold, clammy, and limp handshake sends the nonverbal message, “I’m nervous, insecure, or timid.”
The stiff arm. When someone offers a straight-arm handshake, creating more distance between him or her and the other person, it’s processed as distrust, aloofness, or reserve.
The glove. It’s the handshake, where two hands reach out to clasp and surround another’s hand, like a glove. Because the glove handshake has been so widely associated with politicians (and since the credibility of this profession has plummeted) its interpretation has morphed from a gesture of sincere liking to one of faked concern.
The perfect handshake is perceived as confident, friendly, and sincere. It has its own rules:
1. Always stand to shake hands. This is especially effective if you were previously seated.
2. Offer your hand with your palm facing sideways to send a message of equality and confidence. When a person offers his hand with the palm faced upwards, it is a submissive gesture. Conversely, when someone offers his hand with the palm faced downwards (or twists his hand downward during the handshake) it sends a message of superiority.
3. Make sure you have full palm-to-palm contact where the web of you hand touches the web of the other person.
4. Warm up your body language. Stand tall, make eye contact, and smile.
5. Shake hands firmly. This is one of the few nonverbal signals that work equally well for both men and women. Like their male counterparts, women with a firm handshake make a more favorable impression and are judged to be confident and assertive.
In the corporate world, a handshake can seal deals, establish authority, and build rapport. If you’ve been out of touch for a while, practice your handshake to strengthen business relationships and make a positive impression.