Is the etiquette of shaking hands dated? Surely, not!

According to one Scottish account, youth are giving the handshake a kiss-off. Instead of engaging in the age-old ritual dating back to the 2nd century, they’re opting for greetings like the fist bump.

In the Scotsman piece, Jo Bryant from Debrett’s says: “Younger people are growing up in a less formal society where the normal forms of communication is more technological and includes mobile phones and texting. But for years and years a firm handshake with eye-to-eye contact has been a gesture of trust conveying a lot in its body language.”

But it’s not just young people. Only a few short months ago, the Memphis Mayor greeted the Dalai Lama with a fist bump. The DALAI LAMA!

If you haven’t seen it, it’s quite a sight. Especially when the Mayor confesses that he’s always wanted to say “Hello Dalai!” (woah):

Apart from fear of H1N1, there’s very little good reason for not shaking hands with someone (unless there’s another appropriate cultural greeting).

After all, your handshake says a lot about you. It can make or break the first impression, be it in a professional or social situation.

The most important things to remember about a good handshake are:

-  making eye contact

- having a firm grip (but not too firm)

- shaking hands up and down no more than three times

- and, of course, making sure your hands are clean (naturally!).

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a little video we made about the importance of a good handshake.

Enjoy!

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