Happy & Healthy
the 5 types of handshakes
The clammy one, the wet one and the squeezer
It’s something you do nearly every day. Introduce yourself and shake someone’s hand. You can also assume that the person who’s hand you’re shaking also does this on a regular basis, yet you never quite feel like: hey, that was nice. Weird right, because a handshake is one of the most decisive factors of a first impression. I’m here to discuss the different types with you.
1. The clammy one
I once shook hands with a well known male journalist (who’s name I’ll keep disclosed) and it was like shaking hands with an 80 year old lady that lotions her hands multiple times a day. So soft, so smooth, it completely pulverized the handshake.
2. The wet one
Look, there’s obviously not a lot you can do about this, besides wipe your hand before giving it. Here’s a hilarious anecdote from a friend of mine who was at an event for journalists that the Dutch queen Máxima would also be attending. Màxima was a couple of handshakes away so she decided to head to the bar and grab some drinks for herself and two others (beer to be exact) and then suddenly there she was. The Queen. My friend wiped her hand on the leg of her pants as fast as she could and gave her majesty a beer infused hand.
”Look, there’s obviously not a lot you can do about this”
3. The ‘I want the top’ one
It’s mostly men that do this. They give you a hand where you meet each other in the middle, and then as soon as he squeezes it, he flips your hands so that his is on top. And being on top means power. Incase this happens, you have two options. 1: you do exactly what he did and switch your hands right back round that yours is on top. Although this has two consequences. It requires physical strength and the two of you might not like each other afterwards. Your second option, and the better option, is to place your hand on his shoulder. This is another way of showing hierarchy. Take Obama for example, handshake first and then a hand on the shoulder. Oh and hey there’s a third option too! Put your left hand on the other side of his hand. Sandwich it. Extremely sweet, yet you’re still showing who is boss.
4. The no hand one
There are those who refuse to shake other people’s hands. Luckily the Dutch queen isn’t one of them, but you often hear that before you meet royalty, you’ll be told you won’t be shaking their hand. Probably because they’re sick and tired of always having to shake every hand that passes them by. I get it, but it still seems a little unsociable.
5. The right one
The ideal handshake is a combination of a clean, slightly firm hand. You meet each other halfway, you give the a slight squeeze and a I’m-aware-of-this-moment-look. Not too hard right? The good news is, you’ve got every day to practice it.
