One thing is for certain, if you are ever in the presence of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, don't try to give her a shoulder massage. The results could be both awkward and embarrassing -- as was discovered by President Bush during the Group of 8 summit this week in St. Petersburg. In case you haven't seen the video on YouTube, Bush walked up behind Merkel, placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a quick shiatsu squeeze. The chancellor, in turn, threw up her arms in protest.Politics aside, there is a lesson to learned from the president's diplomatic gaffe. In mixed company and especially in the work-place, standards of touching are always in the eye of the beholder. So unless you want to run the risk of getting accused of creating a "hostile work environment," you are better off going with a touch-neutral physical interaction.
After all, wouldn't the president have been better off giving Merkel the old, "Up high, down low, oh, too slow" hand-slap?