Graphologist Arlyn Imberman has examined the handwriting of everyone from Bill Clinton to Frida Kahlo. In her book
Signature for Success, she demonstrates how to read the writing of bosses, co-workers, and loved ones as a key to career advancement and personal happiness. In examining the signatures of top CEOs, she found some widely varying personality traits, but some marked similarities as well. “I’m not sure I would immediately have known these men were CEOs,” she says, “but the signatures all show that they’re very, very ambitious people. They have certain traits that set them apart: A leader has a different handwriting from a manager.” Here’s what Imberman found:
MARK V. HURD
Chairman, CEO and President
HP
Why does Hurd put an “x” in his signature when there’s no “x” in his name? Perhaps he adds lines through his name—slashing strokes resembling a swordsman’s mark—as a way of throwing down the gauntlet: “Don’t cross me.” The “M” in “Mark” has a curl at the beginning of the line. That’s his creative fantasy. What predominates, though, is his strong ambition and drive for material success. Notice how tight and controlled the writing is. The baseline—straight, strong, and precise—shows once he makes up his mind he’s implacable. He has extraordinary discipline, which is designed to serve his ambition. He moves forward with dispatch, determination, and drive, regardless of who is in his way.
JEFFREY R. IMMELT
Chairman of the Board and CEO
General Electric
Immelt is conservative. The shape of the “e” in “Jeff ” and “t” in “Immelt” are closed down. The smallness of the writing, in comparison to other CEOs, reveals his modesty. He is not one who overwhelms with personal charisma, but instead has an ability to interact with others and adjust to the exigencies of the moment. He can multitask and juggle a lot of balls. As you can see by the thread connection, he is very versatile. He is detail-oriented and a master of the large vision and the smaller canvas. This writing has a strong right trend, which indicates his focus on his goals and the future. Immelt is very interested in getting to where he wants to go—but not with friction. He’d rather untie a knot than cut it. Neither a technician nor bean counter, the writing is very connected, which means he is ruled by logic in finding solutions to his challenges. He doesn’t need to be successful at others’ expense.
RANDALL STEPHENSON
Chairman, CEO, and President
AT&T
The writer is a former introvert. The letters are narrow and tightly wound. There is a disproportion between the initial letters (capitals) and the middle zone letters. He is struggling with issues about his early insecurity, but since he presents himself with aplomb, this is rarely visible to others. The signature shows a lot of creative fantasy; it bubbles over with possibilities for the future. He has strong insights, a vision, and can inspire and lead through motivating others. If he has a flaw, it could be his impatience. The writing is smooth, rhythmic, unlabored. He creates clever writing connections—look at how he connects the “S” to the “t,” and how the t-bar forms the first stroke of the “e” in his last name. He knows how to make intellectual connections as well and is very energetic and dynamic. He presents himself smoothly and effectively with a great sense of style and sophistication. He can tell you to go to hell and and make you think you’d enjoy the trip.
VIKRAM PANDIT
CEO
Citi
Pandit is a “Type A” personality who is very thorough. He does not wish to be transparent. The illegible letters make it difficult to distinguish between his first and last name. The writing resembles a coil about to spring. The first stroke of the “V” is like a springboard launching him into the fray. The signature form reveals extremely high intelligence. The writing is quite rhythmic, but at the same time, angular, further revealing his stress.
A.G. LAFLEY
Chairman of the Board and CEO
The Proctor & Gamble
This is not a legible signature, but the most pronounced part of the writing is in the lower zone, which represents materiality. Even the “G,” which doesn’t belong there, is in that zone, showing he is very oriented toward accumulating wealth. The writing has a lot of originality and insights, but it also shows his impatience with those whose minds do not work at lightening speed. He has an impulsive nature but tries to keep it controlled by a logic and orderliness. The size of the lower loops reveals his creative fantasy. He is highly original and somewhat unconventional in the way he analyzes and deals with challenges. Like a cubist painter, Lafley can see many sides at once, solving problems because he sees what others miss.
MBA Jungle, Winter 2008-2009