I learned some really interesting information about body language in this video.
Make sure you watch it.
One new thing I learned in the video is that showing your palms indicates a willingness to build relationships. Of course, this has to be executed in an innocent and natural way. Waving/circling your palms out in front of you while you talk could definitely be misconstrued if you make too bold an effort.
Definitely agree on the comment about handshakes. I don’t care who I’m meeting — man, woman, or child: a limp handshake not only conveys a lack of confidence, it’s downright insulting. To me it’s like the limp-handed guilty party can’t even be bothered. It sets the whole tone of a meeting off on the wrong foot. Even if you do everything right from that point forward, I feel this is the epitome of bad first impressions that are hardest to overcome (in business and just life in general).
So remember the 5 tips in the video when networking:
- Don’t cover your body, stay open (show your palms when you’re facing people).
- Don’t touch your face (liar).
- Firm handshake (you might as well refuse to shake someone’s hand otherwise).
- Always smile (genuine, not fake).
- Maintain eye contact (don’t look around like you’re looking for someone more interesting to talk to).
