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Originally Posted by Gilda
This is an eye opener for me. I had never really thought about shaking hands before, and I certainly didn't realize that people read this much into it. I tend to give a fairly weak, limp wristed grip, but I fail to see how this has anything to do with what kind of an employee I would be or what kind of person I am. What it actually means is that I don't really like being touched by strangers; I have no control over how others interpret it. It seems silly to me to make any judgement about another person based on something so inconsequential.
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It's just one of those built in social mores, for better or for worse. I'd guess it's derived very obscurely from guys wanting to show their strength to one another on first meeting in order to show that they could protect themself/mate/family/etc. Now, it's not that it's useful, it's just expected. Usually when I'm shaking hands with someone, I'm meeting them for the first time, so how they shake hands with me is part of my first impression of them. Someone who can't be bothered to put in the effort to give me a good handshake isn't going to make as good an impression as someone who gives me a firm, confident handshake. It's like if someone didn't comb their hair. No, there's no "reason" to comb your hair other than that it makes you look better.
And yes, I realize these are all superficial judgements, and I'm not trying to hijack the thread to talk about their utility, just explaining the ideas.