Brain and 1st Impressions, Part 3

In this time of new or unusual infectious diseases, the question for some is whether to ‘shake or not to shake.’ We’re talking ‘hands’ here, of course. Studies have shown that the fastest and most effective way to establish rapport is to shake hands. It can take an average of three hours of continuous interaction to achieve the same level of rapport you can get with a handshake. So what do you do? Some people are moving to the ‘fist bump.’ It’s interesting to see how quickly another brain picks up on that move and responds. Handshaking is still likely the gold standard in many parts of the world so I simply carry a little bottle of hand disinfectant—after a spate of handshaking I use a shot of disinfectant and I’m good to go. Leaning in slightly, while you are shaking or bumping, can indicate that you’re engaged or interested in the connection—as long as you respect the other person’s personal space. The generally recognized average comfortable ‘space’ zone is about two (2) feet.  Part 4 tomorrow.