How Not to Listen — The Tall, Dark, and Handsome Handshake

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PERFECT VIRTUAL MANAGER

Perhaps you know him. He is tall, dark, and handsome, living and breathing. He became a CEO the first time in his late 30s — that was the training-wheels company. He got the big one before he was 45.

Everyone in the industry talked about him. Everyone could because everyone knew him.

He always had time for a handshake, a hug, and a conversation at any trade show.

But what he didn’t know was that people mimicked his handshake. It was named for him. It is performed like this.

The Tall, Dark, and Handsome Handshake

• Smile when you see a person you know.
• Make eye contact for a moment. (See final note for where to look next.)
• Reach out with your right hand.
• Grasp the hand of the other person.
• Perform handshake.
• Upon making eye contact for a brief monent, begin conversation during handshake. While shaking hands, move eyes over the other person’s left shoulder to scan the crowd to see who might be your next conversation partner.

Everyone knew that their conversation was not important. That we were nothing more than virtual business cards lining up to keep contact. The handshake was the exchange. The conversation was a facade that was necessary, but meant nothing to him.

Listening requires being present and part of what’s going on.

Liz Strauss

 

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