In terms of giving good advice to younger female executives just on the cusp of greatness, I find that the little things add up to make the biggest difference in affecting your career. So - I'm going to pontificate briefly about one of those little things - a good, firm handshake.
Of course you know that first impressions are critically important in the business world. No doubt you have by now "sprung" for a few really good suits, tailored to fit you very nicely. You probably made sure your fingernails were clean and neat before you left the house today. And hopefully, your shoes are polished with no scuffs. BUT...did you make sure your handshake was presentable as well? Because if your handshake isn't up to par, all the work you did on the other stuff can't bail you out of a bad first impression.
As I watch my friends who have children, I realize that most boys are taught to shake hands properly at a very young age, but most girls are not. So, it seems there comes a time in a woman's life where it's all of a sudden appropriate for them to shake someone's hand, yet they really have no experience in doing that. A proper handshake portrays good self-confidence - and this is definitely something you want to get across in the first few seconds when meeting someone new. My thoughts on approaching the world of hand-shaking:
1. If you are not sure whether or not the person you are meeting will shake your hand, don't wait for them - extend YOUR hand.
2. Once you have the person's hand in yours, look them in the eye.
3. While looking them in the eye, give a firm squeeze and a quick up and down with your hand - then let go. Handshakes shouldn't go on for more than a second or two.
4. "If it doesn't go up to your thumb, it ain't a handshake." I've noticed some people who are either weak hand-shakers themselves or who are unsure whether or not YOU are a weak hand-shaker will only grasp the fingers of your hand. You should attempt to shake the WHOLE hand - not just the fingers.
5. Don't bend your wrist. When your wrist is bent, your hand is not in the proper position to firmly shake.
6. PRACTICE. I realize this is probably a teensy bit embarrassing, but on this subject, practice really does make perfect. In this instance, practice with a mentor, or someone you know has a firm handshake. Everybody remembers how weird this practice was to pick up in the beginning and will be very willing to help.
There are obviously much bigger ways to make a first impression - i.e., being highly educated, having a lot of experience in one particular field, and so on - but I'm assuming you already have that part covered. A good handshake ought to just put a nice bow around the wonderful package that you already bring to the table, so please don't forget to make sure you get it right!
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