Apple's Angela Ahrendts has a great handshake

Angela Ahrendts, Apple's senior vice president for retail, stopped by LinkedIn for an interview with our editor-in-chief Dan Roth (see above). Having helped with the prep, I wanted to watch as the two sat down to chat. While they spoke on set, I said hello to a couple people on Ahrendts' team backstage, but mostly I stayed out of the way. Video shoots can become chaotic when too many people are milling about.

When the interview wrapped I was standing off to the side as Ahrendts and her team made their way to the exit. They were in a bit of a rush to catch a flight and since I had no business reason to introduce myself to Ahrendts, potentially delaying the group's travel, I didn't motion for a hello. 

She did. 

Ahrendts saw me, stopped mid step, turned, and stuck her hand out to introduce herself. I was immediately enamored. She had that perfectly firm but welcoming grip you'd pay to learn at some weekend seminar about getting ahead in business. She had nothing to gain from saying hello to me and had no idea who I was or why I was there. She held eye contact as I introduced myself. She was engaged.

How many times have you experienced a dead fish handshake where the person is idly looking away or actively looking for someone better to talk to over your shoulder? It's the worst. And it's a terrible tactic if you care to remember someone's name. Ahrendts was the most powerful person in the room, and she took the time to look me in the eye and say hello.

It was only a brief interaction, and I have no deeper insight into her management style or first-hand observation of her leadership abilities. But I do know that she makes a hell of a first impression. A look at her Twitter feed indicates she often attends Apple store openings across the globe. Seems like a smart way for a company to make an entrance.

Read Angela's Ahrendts article about Apple's new in-store experience here.