The Handshake

In my mind the handshake signals everything in networking. It tells me if that person is confident, or if they are a little out of their element.

Or that is my perception.

Friday, I was in Wilmington Ohio, where I presented to a chapter of the Association for YMCA Professionals. This group is from West Virginia and areas in southern Ohio all the way to the Indiana state line.

I met Angela Wakefield, Senior Program Director at the Huber Heights YMCA, a branch of the Greater Dayton "Y."

Right away she impressed me with her firm handshake.

I asked her who taught her to shake hands. She shared that her father a military man did the job, along with teaching her to look people in the eye and drive stick shift.

I laughed as it reminded me of my friend Leasa Maxx, whose dad also taught her the intricacies of shaking hands and "driving a stick."

One of my goals in life is to encourage everyone woman to teach a younger woman the proper way to shake hands.

What lessons would you like to pass on to the younger generation?