Leaders in certain fields are being selected in part because their face fits the stereotype of their profession, according to a new study, ‘The many (distinctive) faces of leadership: Inferring leadership domain from facial appearance’, published in The Leadership Quarterly.
In a series of experiments designed to find out how well people could place which industry leaders worked in from their face alone, participants could successfully categorise the leaders in business, sport and the military, but found politicians difficult.
Dawn Eubanks Associate Professor of Behavioural Science and Strategy at Warwick Business School said, “Our findings imply that within business, military and sport, individuals who achieve the highest positions of leadership share common facial features that distinguish them from leaders in other domains.
“These findings are particularly noteworthy for those involved in leadership selection decisions. It is important to not let implicit biases get in the way and ensure that there is a rigorous selection process in place.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
