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"While the ‘to shake or not to shake’ debate isn’t a new one, it’s become increasingly significant given the times that we’re living in, especially with President Obama set to declare the swine-flu virus a national emergency,” said Jalanda James. “Whether you simply don’t like to shake hands, or you’re a professional who’s just getting back to work after having survived a layoff and can’t afford to get sick, now is the perfect time for us all to ban together and ‘just say no’ to handshaking.”
This month, James launches Stophandshaking.com in support of getting rid of the common practice of handshaking, especially in the workplace where professionals often interface with hundreds of colleagues, clients and customers each week. The site includes a blog written by James, articles, tips and information on the history of the handshake. The site also sells lapel pins designed by James to help promote the campaign and make declining a handshake less awkward for those who choose to do so.
For the last six years, James has tried a variety of methods and alternatives to handshakes, ranging from fist bumps, to fibbing and saying that she has a cold, as suggested by her own physician. The pins she’s created, one with text and one with graphics-only, are designed to give the wearer a “pass” on handshaking without being overly gimmicky or distracting.
“In the past when I’ve declined handshakes, I’ve had to face unavoidable awkwardness, and many times I’ve unintentionally offended the other party,” said James. “I think this is largely the reason why the tradition of handshaking has continued, because we’ve failed to find a way to get past the social discomfort that it sometimes creates. I think the pins will be a great solution for people who have become increasingly concerned about their health, but don’t want to alienate friends, family, colleagues or customers.” "When wearing the pin, you don’t have to say a word–just point. People will see your pin and instantly know that you aren’t discriminating against them, but you prefer to not shake hands with anyone," said James.
James’ handshake etiquette campaign may sound familiar to those who’ve heard of similar campaigns launched by the World Health Organization and Brad Feld, a high-tech entrepreneur. She hopes that the lapel pins will be a significant factor in the success of her campaign and help to attract advocates, supporters and participants, which the other campaigns failed to do.
In response to those who argue that the handshake is key to assessing character and expressing genuine communication in an era where technology has largely replaced the need for face-to-face communication, James stands firm in her position.
“There are a lot of people who really don’t want to do away with the handshake because we already spend so much time interacting through our mobile devices and computers, which can be very impersonal,” said James. “But looking at the bigger picture, I’d much rather a computer virus over the H1N1 virus, and I think most people feel the same way.”
For more information on James’ campaign or to purchase a ‘Stop Handshaking’ lapel pin, visit http://www.stophandshaking.com. Discounts are available for bulk orders and orders for professional organizations.
Jalanda James is available for interviews, comments and tips on alternatives to handshaking for sales professionals upon request. Send inquiries to jalanda (at) stophandshaking (dot) com.
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