That moment I realized I'd been shaking hands wrong for 30 years

I was at a networking event in Austin about 2 months ago, shaking hands with like 40 people in an hour. This one guy, maybe 25 years old, pulled his hand back after we shook and gave me this weird look. Later that night I googled it and found out I was doing the 'dead fish' handshake without even knowing - my grip was way too loose and I wasn't making full palm contact. I guess nobody ever told me because they were being polite or whatever. Now I'm paranoid every time I meet someone new. Has anyone else had that moment where you realized a basic social thing you did was actually weird the whole time?

2 comments

2 Comments

terryh2013d ago

Oh man, that 'dead fish' handshake thing hit me right in the gut. I had the exact same moment a few years back at a job fair. This older guy, probably a CEO or something, gave me this look like I was holding a dead rodent after we shook. I went home that night and watched like five YouTube videos on proper handshake technique. Turns out I was doing the 'limp fish' and also looking down at my feet every time. Now I'm super self conscious about it too. It's crazy how something so basic can just fly under your radar for decades.

laura_black3113d ago

That whole "looking down at your feet" thing is the real killer. I think it's because we're so focused on not crushing their hand that we forget to actually look human during the process. I read somewhere that a firm but not aggressive handshake is basically the same pressure as holding a coffee cup, which honestly just made me more paranoid about what kind of coffee cup grip I'm using. It's funny how one awkward moment can make you rethink something you've been doing wrong your whole life without ever realizing it.