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Trump Power Hadnshake: The Patting Move (Trump & Abe power handshake)
Donald Trump is a man obsessed with power and dominance.
And he tries to overpower people from the very first meeting and handshake.
He is not an exception though: he is just the most obvious example of domination attempt you will ever see. But as Allan Pease says, the majority of business executives will seek to give people the upper hand (also read "alpha male handshake").
Among the many handshake power moves he utilizes, the "patting" deserves a special mention.
Look at it in action first:
The patting is a way of saying "good boy" or "you are my boy".
That's an approach that adult men have towards children, which immediately positions Trump as the parent/authority of the interaction.
How to Respond to Hand-Patting
It's not easy responding to such obvious power moves.
Why not?
Because if you want to respond the same way, you should be equally obvious in response.
And unless you can win that battle quickly and resolutely, it usually screams "posturing" and drags both of you down.
So what I recommend here is something not as obvious but equally significant.
For example:
- Pat him on the back with your free hand
- Pat his leg with your free hand (if you're in Abe's position)
Both move should then be accompanied by a slight smile and a shaking of your head in light disapproval.
The light smile should communicate "I know what he's up to" and "God, there he goes again".
The light head shaking communicates disapproval and superiority.
The whole countermove communicates "I know what you're up to and I'm not allowing you to disrespect me. But I'm not going to descend at your level because I'm superior".
Finesse Power Moves
Got it?
This is not the simplest and it's a bit of a finesse power move.
For the full power dynamics of first impressions check out Social Power.
