Personally I’d have no problem what so ever with never having to shake hands with strangers again.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in meetings with consultants or clients or on job interviews and shaking hands with either limp wristed people with disturbingly sweaty palms, with the amount of sweat that makes you want to wipe your hand off on your pants or pull a tissue out of your pocket, or people who think that if they grip your hand so hard as to the point of dislocating fingers, that this somehow makes their negotiation strategy stronger – "I grip your hand tightly, how tightly will you grip mine? Now let’s get ready to rumble!"
Also with the all the hugging. Please stop. Unless you are a close relative or very long time and very personal friend, please don’t hug me. And absolutely do not go in for the cheek kiss. Ug!
I kind of like the polite Japanese bow or the Vulcan – Live Long and Prosper.
The Birth Of "LIVE LONG AND PROSPER"
Well, the dead fish handshakes are people I just don't trust, and the ones who try to break bones, they are people who think they have something to prove, so I'm wary of them, too.
As a rule, though, those handshakes are a valuable tool in reading someone.
I'd like to keep that in my arsenal.
I have sealed five figure deals over a good, firm handshake.
Earnest hugs from people I know are one thing, from those I do not, well, I check my pockets.
And I'm with you on the cheek kiss thing.
Sticking lips up next to my face and going "Mwah", well, to me that doesn't count for much.
