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Pro tip: saying "no thanks" to a handshake in business meetings works fine if you blame the gym
Last Tuesday at a partner meeting downtown, I had just finished a heavy deadlift session and my grip was shot. I mean completely cooked. Senior VP from the client side sticks out his hand. I said "sorry, my hands are trashed from training" and just gave a nod. He laughed, said he used to lift in college. We talked about programming for 5 minutes instead of the usual awkward small talk. Has anyone else found a polite way to dodge handshakes without making it weird?
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jennifer96521d ago
That's a solid move, @alice_kim, and I've used it myself more than once. After a heavy squat or deadlift session your hands really are useless for the rest of the day. Another thing that worked for me was just being honest without making it about lifting. I'd just say "sorry, I'm coming down with something and don't want to pass it along" and give a friendly nod instead. Most people appreciate the heads up and it keeps things from getting awkward. The key is to say it with a smile and move right into the conversation so they don't dwell on it. I've never had anyone push back or act offended in five years of doing this.
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