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Winning with People: The Handshake
There is perhaps no single action in the business world that creates a connection with people faster than a handshake. In fact, a study by Dr. Allen Konopacki for the Incomm Center in Chicago concluded that a handshake produces "a higher degree of intimacy and trust within a matter of seconds." Conversely, a poor handshake can send long-lasting negative messages which can hinder your ability to build positive business relationships.
A proper handshake conveys confidence, warmth and charisma. A poor handshake can send the message you are unprofessional, disinterested and socially unskilled. Here are the dos and don'ts of a good handshake:
The perfect handshake:
It begins with lots of eye contact and a brief, warm smile. Extend your arm with your hand perpendicular (thumb to the ceiling), neither dominant (palm down) nor submissive (palm up). Move your hand firmly into the other person's until the web between your thumb and forefinger are making solid contact. Firmly close your hand over the other person's hand for 1-2 seconds. Make a subtle, almost imperceptible up-down motion, then release the other's hand. Remember to keep your fingers together.
Don't:
1. Crush the other person's hand. You're connecting, not competing
2. Keep your hand limp. The 'dead fish' handshake says 'dead fish personality'
3. Do the finger squeeze. This is a common style where you just bend your fingers over the other person's. It comes across as unprofessional, and sends the message that you don't care
4. Pull away. If you briefly touch the other person's hand and pull away, the other person will feel rejected
The same rules apply for both men and women. Not sure of your handshake? Practice with a friend or family member. It's much too important to leave it to chance.
Author: Shaun Belding
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Do something and do it now
Ever felt like you were in a rut? That things were stalled or at a dead end? Have you ever felt helpless or powerless to change your situation? You're not alone. The bad news is that these emotions can have quite serious consequences to our happiness and quality of life. The good news is that there are some really effective techniques to turn these emotions around.
There are a lot of things you can do to change your state of mind, but none work faster or more effectively than just doing something different today than you did yesterday. Begin with small stuff. It's amazing how much of a difference you can create just by making a few small changes. For example, there's a large body of research indicating that changes in the colours, shapes and sounds around you can have immediate and profound effects on your mood. Happy and positive emotions can be stimulated with blue, green and pink colours; shapes that are curved (no sharp angles); lines that move upward from left to right; and sounds that are not too loud with higher pitches and fast rhythms. Energy and enthusiasm can be stimulated with orange and strong red colours, contrasting shapes and loud, strong rhythms. Even simple changes to your every day routines can begin to awaken a few neurons. Take lunch a half-hour earlier than usual. Rearrange the order in which you do things. Mess with your schedule a bit.
Next, commit to yourself to take a new action every day. Make a list of things you've been putting off or neglecting - things you like to do, or need to do. Set up a schedule to do one of them every day, then make sure you do them. Once you've begun to create a little forward motion, you will begin to feel more motivated, stimulated and positive. It's a wonderful thing.
The secret to all of this, though, is to get the ball rolling. So do something now. Don't wait. Don't procrastinate. Don't find an excuse. Find something you can do in the next five minutes that's positive, and different than something you did yesterday. What do you have to lose?
Author: Shaun Belding
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Health Capsules
* If you wear contact lenses, clean your case often. A dirty lens case can be the culprit behind a corneal ulcer, a painful and potentially dangerous eye condition.
* Contrary to what your mother told you, you can go swimming right after eating. Fact is, marathon swimmers often eat high-carbohydrate meals before swimming.
* Whenever possible, stand up to swallow medicine. Pills taken lying down can lodge in the throat and dissolve there, producing inflammation or injury.
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