The Art of the Bow
Susan J. Forman
Excelon Associates Inc., ?? CEO / President - #GSA MAS Government Recruitment- state/federal, #Internationial #education #skilled trade #finance #healthcare - Office 828-417-7094
This morning I was thinking about the future of the handshake post-COVID, and I was wondering if our society will ever look at the “act” of the handshake the same again? Will hiring managers now disregard candidates who choose not to shake their hands? After all, many articles have been written about the importance of a handshake, but what about now? Should we now start considering the Art of the Bow?
As a recruiter for many years, I cannot express how many exceptionally qualified candidates I have had the privilege of working with over the years, who did NOT get the job, simply based on the quality of their handshake. According to Google … handshaking is a #softskill that telegraphs to a new acquaintance what a fine person you are; that you want to make friends, behave yourself, and have some spunk. But what about today? Should the American workplace now start considering the quality of your bow?
Although bowing was common long ago, it is facing extinction in the world while still remaining alive in many Asian cultures where bowing the head is still a traditional form of greeting. A smile, a kiss, the shaking of hands, eye movements, head movements are all part of the silent ways people have been using to communicate with one another, but what about post-COVID? Should we now consider the Art of the Bow?
Please share your opinion!
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120545603
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowing
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/2020/03/ways-people-around-world-say-hello-without-touching-coronavirus/
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/15/814540484/no-touch-greetings-take-off-people-are-getting-creative-about-saying-hi
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/no-handshake-no-kiss-greetings-in-the-age-of-coronavirus/5326685.html
Facilities Site Advisor
4 年The bow is not necessarily the American way but I get what you are saying here. I am remembering a time when men use to tip their hats. As stated, great minds will come up with an inventive way to communicate to others as we move forward post Covid. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Just the other day I engaged with a gentleman in the market parking lot using just our eyes over our face masks. Picking up non-verbal cues and being more present to those around us may be a positive development from this pandemic.
Professor at Sonoma State University
4 年I think for now and going forward that anyone who is willing to shake a hand and not follow social restrictions and guidance is the one we look poorly upon. The person who approaches me and stops exactly at 6 feet away or more is the one for whom I have immediate respect. The one who smiles at me and gives me an air elbow or gives me a pleasant nod or a small bow is the person to whom I will feel connected. It tells me you are paying attention to what is important in society right now and that you care about yourself and others. It tells me you have a contemporary point of view, which says you want to see wellness in your society and you want to contribute to wellness on a global level knowing the butterfly effect. Post Covid… That’s a long way out. I think we will be establishing new patterns of behavior for quite some time before we can consider ourselves post Covid. They say it only takes 21 times of doing something before it becomes a learned pattern. It’s the way we learn guitar scales. And it will be the way we establish new social patterns going forward.