Proper Handshakes and Introductions

By Deborah O’Connor

There are many rules that govern business introductions and proper handshakes and everyone should know the basics:

• Always rise when greeting someone.
• Both women and men should rise when someone new joins the group.
• If you are behind your desk, always rise and come around your desk to greet a visitor unless it is a person in your office that visits frequently.
• Always rise and come forward to greet a senior executive no matter how many times he or she comes to visit.
• Always shake the hand extended in friendship.
• It is a big breach of etiquette to let someone stand around unacknowledged; its better to botch their name or admit you can’t remember it than to ignore them.
• There are many rules regarding whom to introduce first in social and business situations, but the main thing to remember is that you always defer to the client. Without them you would have no business. Just remember that you mention the client’s name first, i.e., Mr. Jones (client), I would like you to meet our Chief Executive Officer Ms. Robinson.
• Look at the person you are introducing as you introduce them, then turn and speak to the other person.
• It’s not enough to just introduce the person. Add some personal information such as “Margaret is the attorney handling the McIntyre case”.
• Always let the person you are introducing know if they are speaking to a member of the media so they can be aware that they are speaking ‘ on the record’.
• Don’t rush through introductions. Take the time to make people feel important.
• There are a number of situations where you have to introduce yourself, namely when you are seated next to someone at a meal that you don’t know, when the person who should have introduced you fails to do so, when it becomes obvious that someone is having trouble remembering your name, or at a networking event where you don’t know someone.
• Always introduce yourself with your first and last names, never giving yourself an honorific, such as Dr. or Professor. You can say, I am John Marks, a doctor from Greenville.
• Knowing how to respond to an introduction is equally as important as introducing someone. For example, “Hello, Mr. Boatright, I enjoyed your speech this morning” sounds much better than “Nice to meet you”.
• Shaking hands seems so simple, but there are many ways to go wrong
• The proper handshake is firm yet painless
• It starts and stops crisply and lasts no longer than 2 or 3 seconds and involves no more than two or three pumps
• It definitely does not continue through an entire conversation
• It always involves a smile and eye contact
• Always shake with your right hand. If you have other things in your hand, switch them to your left hand.
• Avoid the clammy, wet handshake by drying your hand off.
• Avoid the limp handshake and the knuckle-cruncher by starting with your fingers together and your thumb up. Shake web to web with a firm grip without crushing the other person’s hand.
• When do you shake hands? When you meet someone, when someone offers their hand to you, when you greet a host or hostess, and when you say goodbye.

Introductions and handshakes are essential in the business world and knowing the proper etiquette sets you apart from others. Always be mindful of proper protocol and you will always feel comfortable in any setting.

Deborah O’Connor is a social strategist and founder and president of Successful Image LLC with offices in Columbia. She offers training and seminars on image management, workplace etiquette, and social skills necessary to succeed in life professionally and personally. Contact at:

[email protected]        www.successfulimage.biz