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Showing posts with label Handshakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handshakes. Show all posts

What Mueller Knows About the DNC Hack—And Trump Doesn’t

In Helsinki on Monday, President Donald Trump stood feet away from Russian President Vladimir Putin and fielded a simple question from an AP reporter: Whose account of the 2016 election does he believe—that of Putin, who claims Russia did not interfere in the U.S. presidential election, or every major U.S. intelligence agency, which have unanimously concluded that it did?
In response, the president brought up a well-rehearsed conspiracy theory implying...Continue Reading
Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Everything You Can Learn About President Trump From His Weird Handshakes

Everything you can learn about President Trump
from his weird handshakes

Here is the link to the article I did http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/learn-trump-weird-handshakes-article-1.3196082

There are enough power plays in a President Trump handshake to make your head spin.
With Trump alternating between scripted speeches and private talks through most of his nine-day foreign trip, the world has been left looking for the real stories hidden in his body language — which has made his jarring handshakes famous again.
Trump’s powerful paw stole the show Thursday as he blitzed through meetings with foreign leaders in Brussels at the G7 summit.
There he was, holding the hand of French President Emmanuel Macron for so long that it made the world uncomfortable.
There he was later in public, yanking Macron’s arm around as if spasming.


What's in a shake?
Similar grab-and-pull gestures befell Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and (the clearly exasperated) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Each shake became a viral, and baffling, quirk of the commander-in-chief.
One body language expert, who has studied handshakes for years, says she’s never seen American Presidents doing anything like Trump’s seemingly awkward grabs and yanks.
It's very unusual,” Patti Wood told the Daily News.


It's e timing is not normal, the ritual of it is not normal.”
But experts argued that, strange as it is, it’s intentional — and it’s all about dominance.
On the surface, Trump’s apparently out-of-control shake seems like a warm gesture — an embrace so overwhelming he loses himself in the moment.

“He’s kind of like a clumsy big bear,” said Lillian Glass, a Florida body language consultant.
“He’s a guy that kind of wears his emotions on his sleeve, as we all know. So when he really likes you, he grabs you toward him, like you’re his buddy. It’s a very show business thing, very Hollywood.”
He usually completes the look with his immediate grin and unbroken eye contact.
But there’s something more subtle and sinister at hand.

Trump’s presidential handshakes have become notorious for their unnatural movements — he grabs the hand, hesitates, pulls the person toward him and holds the gesture just a few moments too long.
It’s unsettling — likely on purpose.

“It sends a very specific message of power,” Wood told The News.
“It puts (the other person) off center, off kilter. ‘Oh, you can trust me. Oh, no you can’t.’ It’s an alpha contest of who’s going to be in charge.”
Wood noted that the world has mostly seen the Trump shake during his meetings with either fellow world leaders, or with other Washington dignitaries from whom he will expect loyalty.



A clearly exasperated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after one of Trump's signature shakes.

Another reason she says the domineering shake is calculated: It’s a new thing for him.
Prior to his presidency, the famously germ phobic business mogul was ardently anti-handshake. He called it a “barbaric” gesture that put him at risk of catching “all sorts of things.”
Trump has been in the perpetual public eye for decades, but was rarely seen giving so many handshakes until he entered the White House.
That's when the Hollywood moves wouldn't cut it anymore. With every new encounter, he now had a lot more to prove.

Full Daily News article - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/learn-trump-weird-handshakes-article-1.3196082


Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Prime Minister Handshake with Trump

In the handshake with the Prime Minister you see Trump once again offering his hand palm up and the Prime Minister looking down at Trump’s  Palm up offering and keeping his handshake arm down and folded in and keeping his fingers interlaced in protective fence with the tops of his finger pointing out like small cannons ready to fire while his closed downward turned mouth showing he is not buying it!!! 


Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

First Impressions, Handshakes Are Key To Women In Leadership

Below is an article in NEWSOK.com highlighting Patti's recent program for Meinders School of Business in Oklahoma City.

First impressions, handshakes are key to women in leadership





By:Paula Burkes | April 20, 2016
Attention businesswomen: Want to be more successful in the workplace? Don't worry so much, and master the perfect handshake. Such was the advice of presenters at a women's leadership conference on Wednesday that drew 310 attendees to the Cox Convention Center. Oklahoma City University's Meinders School of Business hosted the seventh annual event, which was presented by the Chickasaw Nation.
Nancy Parsons, CEO of Tulsa-founded and now Texas-based CDR Assessment Group, said studies show men and women are basically equal in leadership energy, calmness and emotions.
“But under pressure, men dominate and women tend to move away and not speak up,” she said.

Her company offers coaching tools that, along with leadership characteristics, measure inherent negative risk factors, including rule breaking, egotism and upstaging, which all are more common to men but — perception-wise — more detrimental to women, Parsons said.
For example, a male rule breaker is seen as a change agent, while a female rule breaker is viewed as inconsistent, she said. Meanwhile, an egotistical male is perceived as overconfident, while an egotistical female frequently is called the b word.
“We're taking ourselves out of the running for fear of failure,” Parsons said. “We women often work harder, putting in 80 hours, but we're not being noticed because we're not speaking up,” she said, noting worrying is seen as a lack of courage, and companies want leaders with courage.
Atlanta-based body language expert Patti Wood said first impressions on credibility, likability, attraction and power are made within the first second of meeting someone, and take up to six months of face-to-face interaction to change.
Because women want to be perceived as equals, they always should extend their hands for handshakes, Wood said.
When someone approaches, people should raise their eyebrows to show an openness, which causes approachers to be open, Wood said. “Then scoop in, with your hand tilted down, so you get a palm-to-palm firm grip, versus someone grabbing the end of your fingers in a wimpy handshake,” she said.
To compensate for bone-crusher handshakes: “Use your free hand to encompass the shake, and send the symbolic message, ‘You're surrounded,' ” she said.
For shakers who won't let go: “Lean in over your right foot, to discombobulate them so they'll loosen their grip and you can splay your fingers and break down and away.”
Other conference highlights include:
•Jaynie Studenmund, a public company board member of LifeLock, Pinnacle Entertainment and Core Logic, and former southern California banking and Internet executive, said colleagues always trump products.
“An A group of people can turn a B product into an A product,” she said. Also, “keep walking cash, so you're not emboldened to a particular job because of what it pays” and “Take jobs or board positions to get out of your comfort zone.”
•Brian Uzzi, a professor of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, said networking is not about having lunch, but sharing sports, nonprofit, community service and other activities with something at stake, such as a record to break.
“Through shared activities, we build trust with a diverse group of people who see our true colors,” Uzzi said.
Bill Gates' big break came through his mom's service with an IBM executive on a United Way board, he said. When IBM opened up its desktop publishing division, it — at the suggestion of Gates' mom, Mary Gates — opened proposals to smaller companies and Microsoft won the exclusive licensing agreement.


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Science Reveals the Power of a Handshake

ScienceDaily (Oct. 19, 2012) — New neuroscience research is confirming an old adage about the power of a handshake: strangers do form a better impression of those who proffer their hand in greeting.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121019141300.htm

For tips on handshakes from my new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impression, Body Language and Charisma, go to the website at  http://www.snapfirstimpressions.com/chapter-3.html

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

What Your Body Language Says About You

Some people always do well during job interviews, seem to have more fun at cocktail parties and generally get along better with other people. Wouldn't you like to know their secret? The answer may be no secret at all. They could simply have more awareness of body language -- both their own and that of others.

Patti shared her insights on what your body language says about you with Healthy Life. Click the link below to find out!

http://www.healthylifect.com/home/article/Talk-This-Way-3377426.php


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Body Language Mistakes That Can Cost You Your Job

A candidate can give out thousands of cues within the first minute of meeting a hiring manager, and those messages make more of an impact than what you say during the interview. Our body language says a lot about who we are and our emotional state, and poor body language often sends a message that we are stressed or fearful.

Check the link for Patti's full interview with Forbes Magazine.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2011/08/31/interview-body-language-mistakes-that-can-cost-you-the-job/

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Guy Kawasaki’s latest book, “Enchantment” and Why You Should Shake Hands

I was reading Guy’s Kawasaki’s latest book, “Enchantment” on the plane back from a speech to Judges in Texas the other day. The book was filled with wonderful little tidbits. He says early in the book, in fact on page nine that “you need four things for a great first impression: your smile, your dress, your handshake and your vocabulary.” Yippee! for recognizing that handshakes are still important. You know how I feel about them. I just did a speech last week for a Financial Association. We discussed how important it was for them to shake hands to create rapport. They have to have the rapport or people are not going to share their financial information.

Here is a quote from my new book on first impressions

“The choices of where, when and with whom to give a handshake have changed over the last few years due to differences in culture and religious background, a more casual business culture and the maturing of the Purell germaphobic generation. Yet, handshaking remains an important ritual for you to understand, use with ease and use as a source of information as you work on your first impression and reading others. Recent studies in North America indicate that a firm handshake that shows strength and vigor with appropriate eye contact length and completeness of grip creates a favorable first impression. In fact, the handshake is the quickest, most effective way to establish rapport with another person.”

In the book “Enchantment” like many recent business books he mentions Paul Eckman’s facial expression research and on page 10 of the “Enchantment” is research that I quoted many years ago in my “Success Signals” book on smiling that I also mention under likability in my new book. It is nice to know that great minds think alike.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://pattiwood.net/. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Refusing a Handshake

The sight of one hand shaking: Terry humiliated

It was billed as the match of the day, but one side didn't want to play

By Kate Youde and Edward Randell

Sunday, 28 February 2010

One commentator – without apparent irony – said it was the most eagerly anticipated handshake in history. That may have been a little overblown, but in the world of sport and its attendant soap opera, all eyes were on Stamford Bridge yesterday. The usually perfunctory pre-match greeting ritual overshadowed the football as fans waited to see whether the Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge would stick with tradition and shake hands with Chelsea's captain, John Terry.


It was the first time the former team-mates had met since allegations surfaced that Terry had had an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, Bridge's ex-girlfriend and mother of his son.

The bookmakers Coral suspended bets on a possible handshake at 9.30am yesterday after a surge of wagers that the players would not shake. The pair had previously been odds-on to touch palms. William Hill said the non-shake would cost the company "a five-figure sum".

Bridge shook hands with the rest of the Chelsea players before kick-off but rejected Terry's proffered salutation. Terry, for his part, did not look him in the eye. Bridge's public snub of the sacked England captain came after his decision 48 hours earlier to rule himself out of the country's summer World Cup campaign, which would have involved playing alongside Terry. Bridge had the double satisfaction of being part of his side's shock 4-2 defeat of Chelsea.

Body language experts say the true origins of the handshake are lost in the passage of time. The gesture is taken as a sign of peace between warriors – to show that they were not carrying weapons.

Handshakes take on even greater significance on the world's political stage (see panel, below). President Bill Clinton famously brokered a handshake between the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1993. It was seen as highly symbolic and prompted hopes for a huge step forward in the Middle East peace process.

Patti Wood, an expert on human interaction, said Bridge's refusal to accept Terry's outstretched hand denied both the "hand of friendship" and the "greater ritual of the game". She explained: "In a game situation, the handshake says 'this is a game, and when we shake hands again we're going to be friends again'. So in this case, if you have somebody that you're competing with and you refuse to shake hands, you're symbolically saying: 'This is real. I'm going to really hurt you; we're not going to be friends afterwards'."

Ms Wood said snubbing a handshake was also "a way of saying 'I'm superior'. For instance, Donald Trump refuses to shake hands – he says because of germs, but there's also a power issue there. "If I'm doing a deal with you and I don't shake hands, you're below me."

Bridge's team were on the receiving end of the last high-profile handshake snub last December. The team's then manager Mark Hughes, having triumphed 3-0 over Arsenal, saw a fuming Arsène Wenger rebuff his gesture of sportsmanship. Hughes claimed Wenger "should be a little more gracious".

However, a survey last month revealed that the typically British handshake is going out of fashion, with youngsters preferring showbiz air kisses or fist bumps. Only 45 per cent of under 25s now use a handshake when they greet one another, compared to 69 per cent of those over the age of 25. A poll of 1,000 people found 74 per cent of adults shake hands less than they used to.

Great shakes...

Adolf Hitler and Jesse Owens

August 1936, Berlin

The Führer famously refused to shake hands after Owens won gold at the Olympics – although some have called this is a myth.

Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong

February 1972, Beijing

The picture of the Communist-hating Nixon grinning and gripping the Chairman's hand amazed the international community and ushered in a new phase of Sino-US relations.

Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev

November 1985, Geneva

At the first meeting of American and Russian leaders for six years, Reagan and Gorbachev reached across the table and paved the way for the thaw of the Cold War.

Nelson Mandela and F W de Klerk

February 1992, Davos

The former apartheid opponents shook hands at the World Economic Forum, appealing jointly for foreign investment in South Africa.

Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat

September 1993, Washington DC

Bill Clinton stage-managed this historic shake between the old foes, a landmark moment for the Middle East peace process which was watched by cheering crowds.

Prince Charles and Robert Mugabe

April 2005, Vatican City

The prince was criticised for shaking hands with the Zimbabwean leader at the Pope's funeral. Clarence House said he had been "caught by surprise".

Edward Randell


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Refusing to shake hands in sports

What does refusing a handshake mean?
I got a call yesterday from the UK publication The Independent on Sunday. The reporter shared that one famous soccer player had refused to shake hands with another. The soccer players involved are John Terry and Wayne Bridge.

LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Wayne Bridge refused to shake the hand of former team mate John Terry during the pre-match greeting between opposing teams before Manchester City’s Premier League match kicked off at Chelsea on Saturday.

Bridge, who has made himself unavailable to be selected for England rather than be in the same squad as Terry, ignored the Chelsea defender as the Manchester City players walked down the line of home players.

The two men have been the centre of newspapers headlines for weeks following allegations that Terry, his former close friend, had an extra-marital affair with Bridge’s former girlfriend.

After shaking hands with the officials, Bridge then came to Terry, glanced and ignored him then continued to shake hands with the rest of the Chelsea side, many of whom are his former team mates.

I discussed with the reporter what that refusal meant.
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Interviewing and Body Language, Handshakes, Couples Body Language

Interviewing, Couples body language link to article on WebMD with Patti Wood
http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/body-language-basics?page=3

From a flip of the hair to hands on your hips, how you move, gesture, and make expressions can say as much as what comes out of your mouth.

By: Heather Hatfield

WebMD FeatureReviewed by Louise Chang, MDAngel Rose, 34, an assistant vice president at a bank in upstate New York, was interviewing candidates for a teller position, which required that a person have good people and communication skills, a professional presentation, and a strong focus on customer service, among other abilities.

One candidate in particular stood out, but not in a good way. While she could have been very intelligent, her nonverbal communication and body language were way off. Her handshake was more of a finger shake, her eye contact was nonexistent, and her slouched posture exuded insecurity. For Rose, what the candidate said didn't matter because her body language spoke volumes: she wasn't a good fit for the position.

"Most communication experts now believe that almost 90% of what we say comes from nonverbal cues, which includes our body language," says Patti Wood, author of Success Signals: A Guide to Reading Body Language.

Body language, she explains, is everything from our facial expressions, to eye contact, to our gestures, stance, and posture. While the nuances of body language are complicated, there are some common body language signs worth a thousand words.

Body Language ABCs
Flipping your hair, shaking hands, making eye contact, and smiling are more than just movements -- they're a part of your nonverbal communication, adding emphasis and emotion.

"Body language represents a separate communication process beyond words," says Ross Buck, PhD, a professor of communication sciences and psychology at the University of Connecticut. "It exists simultaneously with language, but it is emotional and largely happening at the subconscious level."

What are some of the basic body language cues that we display and what kind of effect can they have on the impression we make on other people? Here's a beginner's guide to understanding what our bodies are saying:

Handshakes. A handshake can say so much more than hello, nice to meet you. "The most important part of a handshake is palm-to-palm contact," says Wood. "It's even more significant than the grip."

The palm-to-palm contact expresses an intention of honesty and openness, and that your interaction will be sincere and nonthreatening.

The "limp fish" handshake, Wood explains, seems so uncomfortable because it usually means that the palms don't touch, as Rose experienced in her interview.

Here are other handshake types:

Bone crusher: A person may be insecure and trying to overcompensate with an over-the-top hello.
Palm-down handshake: A person may be trying to express his dominance.
A left-handed wrap of the handshake from the top: A person may be trying to express his dominance.
A left-handed wrap of the handshake from underneath: A person may be trying to support and comfort you.
Synchrony. Synchrony happens when two people who are interacting mirror body language cues, explains Buck. What can it mean?

"Synchrony is a signal that both people are on the same page," says Buck. "When you see someone copying your body language, or you notice that you are copying his, it's a clue that you are probably sharing
a similar mind-set at the time."
Body Language Basics
From a flip of the hair to hands on your hips, how you move, gesture, and make expressions can say as much as what comes out of your mouth.(continued)
Body Language ABCs continued...
Posture. "Posture can be sign of dominance or submissiveness," says Buck.

Shoulders back with an erect posture can be a sign of dominance, he explains, while being slumped can mean insecurity, guilt, or a feeling of shame.

Eye contact. "While the rules of eye-contact engagement vary from culture to culture, in the U.S., it can mean honesty and forthrightness," says Buck.

The eyes are a powerful part of our body language cues and can express everything from sexual interest, to annoyance, to happiness and pain, he explains.

Playing with your hair. When a woman cups her hand, palm out, and tucks her hair behind her ear, it can be an expression of flirting, and can mean openness and interest, explains Wood. But be careful: It can also mean her hair is in her eyes.

Using Body Language to Your Advantage
"If you want to better manage your own body language, you need to think about every aspect of your day and how you behave," says Wood.

While you might think you are friendly person, if you go straight to your office and avoid eye contact with anyone, it can send the wrong signals to your co-workers, she explains.

Go through your morning routine -- what you do at lunch, how you spend your afternoon and evening -- and ask yourself questions like: Do I smile? Do I make appropriate eye contact with people? Once you better recognize your body language, you can start to manage it in a more meaningful way.

On the flip side, how can you use the body language of others to your advantage? Most important is to trust your gut.

"Body language says so much, that you can use it to gauge the sincerity of what a person is saying," says Wood.

If a person is telling you something, and he's covering his mouth, he might be lying, she explains. If a person's hands rub from his forehead down across his face, he could be wiping away an emotion, like stress or anxiety. Either way, if what a person is saying contradicts his body language, your intuition might be picking up on something that is not quite right.

Still, whether you are trying to manage your body language better, or understand that of others, remember the value of words.

"If you become too attentive to body language, instead of what you are saying or someone is saying to you, you miss out on the larger process of communication," says Buck.

Body Language Put to the Test
A basic understanding of body language, combined with verbal communication, can come in handy in almost every situation in your daily life. Here are some common scenarios in which body language can have a big impact, plus tips for putting your best foot forward while you watch what others around you are saying with their silent signs.
Body Language Basics
From a flip of the hair to hands on your hips, how you move, gesture, and make expressions can say as much as what comes out of your mouth.(continued)
Body Language Put to the Test continued...
First dates. First dates are laden with body language signs that can help you gauge whether or not a person is interested.

"Men tend to talk a lot on first dates when they're interested in a woman," says Wood. "If you're interested back, make eye contact and listen."

If either person isn't interested, and looks around the room and avoids eye contact, that's a sign that a second date isn't likely.

Other first-date tips?

"When men touch a woman on the small of her back to walk her through a door, that's a sign of confidence and interest," says Wood.

For women, it's the length of their touch that measures their interest. While short, less-than-a-second touches are appropriate, touches that are too long could convey an intimate meaning.

Job interviews. First and foremost, don't sit down while you wait for your interviewer to come and greet you; it puts you in an awkward position where you have to stand and gather yourself and your belongings in an odd sort of shuffle.

"Instead, stand and wait, or sit on the arm of a chair," says Wood. "And when your interviewer arrives, make eye contact, raise your eyebrows slightly in acknowledgement, smile, and then shake hands."

During the interview, she suggests you make eye contact when listening to show your interest, but don't stare. Sit up in your chair instead of slouching, and when you're done, leave strong by giving a good, palm-to-palm handshake.

Dinner with the in-laws. "One of the most important body language signs you should convey during your first encounter with your partner's parents is eye contact with your partner," says Wood.

Your partner's parents want to know that you are interested in and care for their child. The best way you can tell them that you are "the one" is to look at your partner with love and affection.

Swine flu on college campuses--will students stop touching?

I was reading on the Higher Education Blog about students and swine flu on college campuses. They want to test all the students and get the ones found with the infection off the campus. How scary!

Body Language of the New MBA Picks


I read the body language of the new NBA draft picks for a magazine today the body language reads appear on the link below.

Where Awkward Happens: Reading The Body Language Of NBA Draft Picks

By Tommy Craggs, 4:00 PM on Fri Jun 26 2009
The David Stern handshake View newly drafted player's baptism into the NBA. It is also, often as not, hilariously awkward. We asked body language maven Patti Wood to analyze some of these moments from yesterday's Draft as they shake hands.

Fear of germs and use of antibacterial liquid

Oh my goodness, more news on antibactirial liquid. I was watching a special on NBC about Obama's West Wing and the dispensers showed up on the desks of Obama's secretary and several cabinet members and they mentioned his "body guy" carries some for the president. We have become germaphobic. I can just see it now. Obama shaking hands with UK prime minister Gordon Brown and then asking for a antigerm blast from his presidential dispenser.

Fear of germs in the USA, anitbacterial liquid dispensers

I have a friend from Paris visiting me this weekend. Michael found out I wanted to start a body language discussion group and wanted me to start it today. So check out my Facebook group, Body Language Discussion Group. Since Michael arrived Friday, he has been fascinated by all the antibacterial liquid dispensers and signs about washing hands and other funny cleanliness issues in the States. We went to Wendy's today. I know, I know, I am taking him to all the hot spots in the U.S. (I need to explain that they don't have Wendy's in France and Michael worked at Wendy's in High School.) The Wendy's manager who was serving us said, "Thank you for washing your hands," to an employee returning from the restroom. Michael asked her about it and she said it is something they have to say so the customers know the employees wash their hands. He simply could not figure out why we are so germ conscious. I said it was marketing by the companies that make all the germ-fighting products. I shared with him my experiences with people’s fear of shaking hands that I have written about on my website and here on my blog. What do you think about our fear of germs in the U.S.? Do you think it is affecting our interactions? If you live in or travel to other countries what are the differences?

Gidget. The power of handshakes

So I am back from Canada on the touch campaign. The first order of business is to answer that trivia question. Gidget the 60’s surfing movie teen, got her name from Moondoggie, the boy she was so smitten with she learned to surf. Moondoggie created her name by morphing Girl with Midget to make Gidget. A name she hated in the first movie, but soon everyone, even her dad, was using it. I love the feisty character; she was surfing, back when few women were accepted in any men’s sports.

Ok, so I am back from the Media tour in Toronto. One of the highlights as body language and touch expert was an interview on an afternoon talk show. The previous day the new prime minister had his photo taken shaking hands with his small son. The host asked me about that. I personally think it was just a photo op. hopefully; the new prime minister does more than shake hands with his young son! Any touch is preferable to none. And you know my threes years of research on handshakes has found that a handshake is equal to three hours of continuous interaction. That means if you do not shake hands at the beginning of the meeting it will take three hours of talking to get to the same level of rapport you can have with one handshake. Powerful stuff touch.