A Note From Paul: The Social Size-Up

By Paul Cowley, Founder, CEO, & Creative Director
03/27/2013

I know I'm going to be out of step here for some of you out there, but personally, I find "social media" a bit on the unsociable side. You write to someone ten months later you get an answer, maybe. Maybe I’m not doing it right. Who knows?

John WayneSocial Of Old

Let me explain. I know social media is the rage when it comes to making connections and keeping up with old friends.  However, I think there's a lot to be said for the old “hand-to-hand combat” of days passed. You know, that exhilarating feeling standing toe-to-toe with someone, looking them right in the eye, reach for their hand, and to see who blinks first.

How do we go about sizing people up with social media anyway?  Where are the all-powerful “size-er-uppers,” the all-important hand shake? You could tell a lot about a person with a shake of a hand.

The Handshake

There are many ways to do this.  For instance, there's the classic up and down heavy pump shake: the “this is the way my Father taught me how to shake” shake.  Yeah, back when you were two, and you never knew enough to adjust it for the real world.  Please get with it; it makes the “shake-ee” feel stupid.

Then came the "bone crusher.”  I'm really not sure how this came about but it's a good (bad) one. No shake at all, just put you hand in the vice and grin and bear it. You swear the pain won't stop ‘til you scream at the top of your lungs, "I Give!" This person has a real problem with aggression in their life; they need to lay off the stimulants, right? Right. 

Mouth WashOh, and we can’t forget the sloppy, floppy, lousy, gooey hand shake. Every man’s Dad worried about this one. Hours upon hours were spent heading off this bad boy. God forbid it should be your kid with “that” hand shake.

Last but not least, the sweaty palm shake. Don't even think twice about it, shake and run – run like hell.

Best of Both Worlds

As you can see there's much more to this being social stuff than pics and posts; maybe they should call it something else so as not to mislead. Then people in the future will realize it's really okay to reach out and touch someone with a strong, not too tight, dry as a bone, look- them-right-in-the-eye handshake.  That’s what I call being sociable!

Meanwhile I will see you all on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, right? Let’s shake on it!

 

……………

Follow Paul Cowley on Twitter @PJCowley, connect with him on LinkedIn /PaulJCowley, or meet him at 235 Walton Street where he is always ready to give you a solid, friendly handshake.

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