In business you don’t want to be rude and not shake hands. But you don’t
want to catch something, so what do you do?
Shaking all over
Here’s some how to advice for mixing and mingling and shaking this holiday party season without getting a cold or the flu. It’s also a handy dining etiquette tip so when you eat and shake hands with people, you’ll won’t leave them with that sticky feeling. (Speaking about shaking all over – here’s a blast from the past see and hear The Guess Who doing “Shaking All Over”)
A healthy strategy
In our Savvy Networking classes we often share tips about consuming food while mixing and mingling. When you’re eating all those hors d’oeuvres and nibblies and you still want to shake hands, a healthy strategy is to hold your plate in your right hand and eat with your left hand. (That’s if your religion or culture permits this.) Using this tip you’re not shaking with the same hand that you are eating with.
Sticky finger food advice
There’s a bonus to this tip. Have you ever noticed that an awful lot of finger foods are really sticky finger foods? The bonus for other people with this advice is your fingers aren’t all gooey when you shake hands with them. After you’ve had a nice conversation with them, you’ll stick in their minds not to their fingertips.
A real handy tip
The upcoming season is a great time to grow your network and reconnect with business clients, colleagues and friends at holiday parties. Now you’ve got a hands-on networking and dining tip that will help you mix and mingle safely and successfully. Don’t forget with all the festive dining coming up, to make sure your dining etiquette looks as good as you do. (The easiest way to look sharp at the table is with our Dining For Success online training program)
Happy & healthy networking – shaking all over!