Category: Relationship

Hugging Professionally?

I had a walk with my friend Nancy on Saturday and we got to discussing hugging. I think hugs are fun and remember my first one from a girl in junior high school. In trying to take business relationships to friendships I started wondering when can you hug a business friend. Hand shakes are definitely cool but sometimes you just want to give more.

snoopy hugging

I was thinking if I offered a hug but got rejected how awkward that would be. “When is it okay to hug a new person?”

Bonus: If you haven’t seen this touching free hugs video you need to.

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14 Responses to “Hugging Professionally?”

  • Devin
    October 9th, 2006
    3:43 pm

    Americans and their personal space… I don’t know when it’d be appropriate in a ‘professional’ setting. On the other hand, if you only tried to hug me I’d wonder why you were holding back.

  • Noah Kagan
    October 9th, 2006
    3:46 pm

    For some reason Devin I don’t picture you as a great hugger. No offense=P

  • Devin
    October 9th, 2006
    4:02 pm

    I understand, you think I lack emotion. That’s fine…

  • Damon Zuman
    October 9th, 2006
    4:53 pm

    When I move to the states about 8 years I thought hugs were very akward. The first time, I thought my friend was trying to push me :). Where I came from, we greet women with kisses on the cheek and men with handshakes (not the complicated ones). Although I eventually got used to hugs, it’s still a little bit weird… In my opinion a hug is very personal, more personal than a kiss because you’re standing so close.

    I guess it’s a cultural thing.

  • Noah Kagan
    October 9th, 2006
    4:59 pm

    For me the kissing on the cheek is extremely awkward. I don’t like it unless unexpectedly some hot girl is kissing me, that is the best=)

  • Steven Ametjan
    October 9th, 2006
    5:25 pm

    I think a lot of when to hug a business contact and when not to depends on how familiar you are with them. If you’d send them a personal invitation to your wedding, then you could probably get away with a hug, but if you wouldn’t, then don’t give them a hug.

  • Dimitry
    October 9th, 2006
    5:57 pm

    For some reason this reminded me of Fight Club… the hugging scene with Bob…

  • Brian
    October 9th, 2006
    6:18 pm

    come to miami, lots of people kiss on the cheek when they meet, including in business.

  • jon speer
    October 10th, 2006
    4:01 am

    When is it okay to hug a new person? It’s okay when the person isn’t new any more.

  • Shivani
    October 10th, 2006
    8:39 am

    hugging in a business relationship is always weird. it always throws me off. i think when you get personal…like actually talking about real life vs. just business, or when you meet up just to hang out vs. talking about work, then a hug starts to be okay.

    i remember the first time we hugged…damn, that was awkward :)

  • Noah Kagan
    October 10th, 2006
    10:55 am

    It still is akward Shivani=P

  • Shivani
    October 10th, 2006
    5:37 pm

    haha, i agree, noah. strangely enough, even after all this time, it still is really awkward…haha…maybe you should stop considering when to hug people, and just not do it at all :)

  • Jason F.
    October 16th, 2006
    3:26 pm

    Instant props for using a peanuts image to illustrate your point. But interestingly, I was at the career fair, and an iBanking friend extended a hug. That was refreshingly novel.

  • Joseph Hunkins
    October 16th, 2006
    4:21 pm

    I’m for hugs in business. In a small way I’d say it helps establish a form of relationship that builds trust, and I think you can actually “read” somebody better via hugs than handshakes.
    HugOgraphic Analysis … $2 per report.

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