How many kisses?

[Blarg]

I have a big WTF?? to the following story:

Kissing is taking over - Watch the skies!

Excerpts:

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'Excruciating' meetings


And now the chaotic practice of hugs, shakes and kisses is sowing confusion in the once-stuffy business world, where not long ago taking off a tie raised eyebrows.


The start and end of meetings with clients can be excruciating, says Rebecca Williams of CHA, a workplace communications consultancy.


"There's a moment of tense awkwardness when a person leading the meeting kisses a client and everyone else gets a bit anxious - what do we do now?


"Once two people kiss, they set a precedent and then we all have to kiss everyone. It can be really uncomfortable but protocol dictates that we have to."

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"We've no set number of kisses in the UK. A kiss on one cheek might be fine but sometimes you go for two because we've started to adopt other cultures. It all feels very unnatural."


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The British weren't even good at the handshake and now there are other options like hugging, air kissing and even lip kissing, it's a minefield.


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Body language expert
She says she keeps a mental note with different clients, to avoid causing possible offence by accidentally "downgrading" a relationship from kiss to handshake.


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The confusion comes because there is a push to be more intimate at work - through exercises like team bonding - and a pull in the other direction from people hugely afraid of breaching equality and sexual harassment laws.

"If we were heading for a more intimate business world, it wouldn't be confusing, we'd be hugging each other to death. But at the same time we see people massively nervous of anything other than a handshake."

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That would be me. Lawsuits await, and what is fine one day is not fine the day someone gets fired and wants to stick it to the company, even at the expense of someone who was more or less a friend.

What do you guys think of all this? Parisians greet each other with four kisses? What the heck? I can't even imagine where they put all of them, or why it has to go on so long.

Do any of you guys do this kissy stuff? Or wish that others would?

[daveT]

In America, this would be sexual discrimination. TBH, if I was about to enter a tense board meeting, seeing the female CEO, and female VP in a kissing session would help me relax.

In the work-place I can't see this taking hold in America. But I do see younger people, guy and girls who aren't dating, give a quick peck on the cheek when they say hi. So, maybe as the generation starts to take over things, this will start happening, and this is what is probably happening in the UK.

We do see women air kiss. Perhaps it is with the proliferation of women in the higher ranks that is making this practice more common. And the guys trying to reach their level are starting to follow suite.

[KingOtter]

I think the Californians and movie industry do this from an American POV. Whenever I see a movie depicting life in California or movie people it seems the meet and kiss cheek-to-cheek and I don't think I've ever done that in my life with anyone other than my family.

[Tristessa]

I have been four times kissed by folks from areas of France and Poland. So awkward! Especially since I now don't know how many to expect...

Enough is enough! [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[NhlNut]

I find that an extended hand (as if to shake hands) also makes a very good stiff arm to an unwanted hug.

Hugs are reserved for family and close friends.

[Blarg]

I'm the same way. I don't particularly want to adapt to this. It feels kind of phoney to me anyway, and like it takes away the specialness of the times you do hug somebody. If everybody's all kissy-kissy even if you don't know them or are just going through the rigors of pretending to, what do I do with someone who's actually a friend -- jump in his lap? Give him a friendly tap on the scrotum?

[LuckOfTheDraw]

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
Do any of you guys do this kissy stuff? Or wish that others would?

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No and no.

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"Once two people kiss, they set a precedent and then we all have to kiss everyone. It can be really uncomfortable but protocol dictates that we have to."

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I think people that feel they have to follow this dictation are spineless wimps.


I agree, lawsuits await.


b

[MissT74]

I can't ever see kissing, even air kissing, making it's way into US boardrooms. I certainly wouldn't take part, it seems undermining of my position and authority, a handshake is professional and all that is needed.

Outside of the boardroom, different ballgame.

T

[katyseagull]

I don't even like the handshake.