INSIDE
SEPTEMBER 2017 BCBUSINESS 57
The Grip
Test
ILLUSTRATION: KAGAN McLEOD
A proper handshake
can seal a business
deal. It can also clinch
a reputation
by Steve Burgess
Strawberry fields ... Time for a pivot ... Schmoozing with David Foster ... Boorishly creative ... + more
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 17
"My friends and family joke that
if we have the apocalypse,
my arugula is going to live" –p.59
Off lıne
E V E R Y B O D Y ' S TA L K I N '
WATERCOOLER
There are a couple of time-honoured strategies
for dealing with business partners, clients and
the public. One is to treat others with respect,
expecting to be treated the same way in
return. Another is to establish your authority
via displays of dominance.
There is no doubt which approach Nina
Durante favours. As founder of the Social
Graces International Etiquette consultancy in
Vancouver, Durante is a leading proponent of
the golden rule in daily interactions. But the
current occupant of the White House oƒers a
competing example, and the president of the
United States is always going to be in…uential.
If you choose to take the high road, bully
for you. It's all very well to be on your best
behaviour, but what do you do when faced
with someone apparently intent on aggres-
sion and domination?
World leaders oƒer an excellent example of
how body language reveals character, Durante
says. "You only have seconds to make a strong
Šrst impression, and body language is the
primary factor in that impression, followed by
tone and, Šnally, the actual words spoken."
In our business lives, chances are our
behaviours and body language won't be
analyzed over and over again by the media,
Durante notes. But especially in the world of
social media and cellphones, where every
action can be caught on camera and posted
for everyone on the planet to see, now more
