Business cards are great. They help me greatly because I really am not paying attention to names when I meet people.
I’ll spend a whole day with someone and have no idea what their name is. Often.
I need to improve in this area.
The problem is, when I meet people and I shake their hand, I don’t even listen to their name. I am usually preoccupied with what kind of handshake they have…and I’m concentrating on not getting the handshake cut-off…the kind where you kind of clasp fingers instead of palms. Also, if their hand is wet, I wonder if they have just come from the restroom and if so, did they wash their hands or is this spillage…
With women, I don’t listen because I don’t know whether I’m supposed to kiss them on the cheek or just shake their hand. You have to watch for the lean. If they start to lean, I lean in for the kiss. Otherwise, a handshake is fine with me. I’m not Richard Dawson. But, I’ve done the single, the double and the excruciatingly uncomfortable triple kiss.
Also, remember to start by going to the left…it avoids an ill-timed kiss on the lips.
Anyway, by the time I get this taken care of, we are discussing where we are from or whatever. It’s a little late to go back and ask, “Now, who did you say you were?”
Especially if you just kissed them on the lips.
