What if…?

At a meeting you notice a person sneezes into his hands. Five minutes later your boss brings the person over to introduce him to you. He extends his hand to shake hands.

What would you do?

1. Consideration
   

Who is affected and how are they affected?

The Person - Confused, embarrassed

You - Unsure, nervous

Your Boss - Surprised, angry

Your Company - Negatively affected

2. Solutions
   

• Don't shake hands


• Shank hands


• Execuse yourself
  


• "I’m so embarrassed. I just sneezed on my hand. As soon as I get back from the restroom…"


• "Please excuse me for not shaking hands. I’ve got a bad cold and don’t want to spread it."

3. Respect
   

Don't shake hand

- Ok for you. You temporarily avoid problem. Rude to others

Shake hand

- Hard on you. Works for the others

Escape

- May work for you and the others immediately. Problem remains

4. Honesty
   

Don't shake hand

- Cause more trouble than it solves

Shake hand

- Hard on you. Easy on the others. Ultimately, it work best for you

Escape

- Doesn't really resolve the situation

5. Refine as necessary
   

You decide that after shaking hands, you will immediately excuse yourself to go to the restroom and wash your hands.