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By ROZIE JUMA
Many people do not enjoy shaking hands, especially when they don’t know where the other person has come from. All the same, African culture dictates that we greet people using our hands, and in a proper manner.
A handshake makes for a good first impression, and gives you an opportunity to establish levels of friendliness and accessibility. Often, people judge you first by your handshake, so ensure it shows your confidence and pleasant personality.
Certain occasions demand that one offers a handshake. They include:
• When meeting someone for the first time.
• When interviewing for a job.
• Meeting someone after a long time.
• Greeting guests, or greeting the host when you are a guest.
• Bidding a friend ‘goodbye’.
• When someone extends their hand.
How do you go about it?
1. The higher-ranking person should extend their hand. Before you shake the hand, stand up (if you are sitting) and look the other person in the eye. Smile to show you are happy to see the other person, and be still so that you don’t appear to be in a hurry to greet them and take off.
2. In case your hand is damp, blot it before you shake someone’s hand. Otherwise, people will avoid shaking your hand.
3. A limp handshake may portray you as disinterested in the other person. Ensure your handshake is firm but not overpowering. If the person you are greeting offers you a limp handshake, a gentle squeeze from you will cue them to grip more firmly. Shake the hand once or twice at most.
4. The handshake should be in an up and down motion, not side by side or back and forth. Your palm should be perpendicular to the ground and your arm parallel to the ground.
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5. I feel uncomfortable when someone holds onto my hand for too long; a handshake should not be longer than five seconds. Politely withdraw your hand if someone insists on holding onto it for long.
6. As you withdraw your hand, maintain eye contact and a pleasant facial expression. Do not wipe your hand after the handshake, especially in the presence of the person you have just greeted.
7. Always use you right hand, unless you have a good reason for using the left.