What makes good leaders so effective?
Charisma, intellect and the ability to inspire all come to mind. But what about the symmetry of a leader's face?
A recent project found that people with notable leadership qualities also have asymmetrical features. Some say this might be true for Winston Churchill, whose "bulldog"-like features marked his term in office.
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According to the claim, derived from two correlational studies, people with a certain level of asymmetry -- uneven earlobes, for instance -- possess more leadership qualities. Figuring out causation can be tricky, but researchers think there might be some truth to the relationship.
Generally speaking, people with symmetrical, or even, faces may have been seen as more attractive or evolutionarily fit, according to previous research.
But here's the rub -- it may not be asymmetry itself that dictates good leaders; it's more likely their lifelong responses to how others view them.
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In two smaller experiments, researchers asked 122 participants to either take a survey or work in a group to market a hypothetical car. Scientists measured participants' ear lobes, finger lengths and wrist widths, giving each person an asymmetry score.
It turns out that people with more asymmetry in the first set-up were also more likely to view themselves as having leaderlike qualities. Same goes for the car group -- the highest rated projects were led by "asymmetrical" leaders.
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The authors write that people are subconsciously sensitive to uneven features. Because of this, individuals with some level of asymmetry may be more motivated to rise above possible perceptions that they're not attractive or intelligent (both of which are entirely subjective claims, of course).
Still, it's hard to buy that a person's body proportions somehow relate to his ability to be a leader. As the authors imply, the findings may result from a person's reaction to perceiving himself as different from other people, or perhaps overcoming feeling discriminated against. Even then, many factors such as childhood and life experiences shape attitudes as well.
Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) gives his famous v-sign in 1948. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Tags: Peoples and Government
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