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I went with my boss to a meeting yesterday. After everyone came into the room (6 total–me, my boss, and the 4 people we were meeting with), it was business card exchange time.

But the Chinese actually present their business cards, rather than the American nonchalant hand-off. They use both hands to hold the top two corners of the card, face the card toward you, bow a little, and read their name out as you take the card.

It’s actually quite practical. As they say their name out for me, I can look down and read along on their card.

In the US, I mostly just shove business cards in my purse when they’re handed to me. It can then get confusing later trying to match up cards to faces. The Chinese way, I match their name to their card to their face in the presentation process.

Back to the faux-pas. Of course I had no clue that I should have been presenting my business card. For the first couple of people, I took their cards with one hand while handing them my card with the other hand. I didn’t realize the mistake until I saw my boss, an Italian, present his card with two hands.

In my haste to recover, I held out my card to the next person with both hands! Unfortunately, they held out their card for me first. Humans don’t have enough hands to present our own business card with both hands while simultaneously receiving someone else’s card.

If only I had four hands. Or better timing.