Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Lasting Impression: Does The Face Of A CEO Determine A Successful Company?
Science Daily ^ | 1-14-2008 | Association for Psychological Science.

Posted on 01/14/2008 2:52:23 PM PST by blam

Lasting Impression: Does The Face Of A CEO Determine A Successful Company?

ScienceDaily (Jan. 14, 2008) — It certainly takes more than a pretty face to run a leading national corporation. But according to a recent Tufts University study, the performance levels of America’s top companies could be related to the first impressions made by their chief executive officers (CEOs).

Using photographs of the highest and lowest ranked Fortune 1000 companies’ CEOs, psychologists Nicholas Rule and Nalini Ambady quizzed ordinary college students to determine which of the pictured faces were characteristic of a leader.

Without knowledge of the pictured individuals’ job titles, and by rating the faces on competence, dominance, likeability, facial maturity and trustworthiness, the students were able to distinguish between the successful and the not-so-successful CEOs.

Despite the ambiguity of the images, which were cropped to the face, put into grayscale and standardized in size, ratings of power- and leadership-related traits from CEOs’ faces were significantly related to company profits.

"These findings suggest that naive judgments may provide more accurate assessments of individuals than well-informed judgments can," wrote the authors. “Our results are particularly striking given the uniformity of the CEOs’ appearances.” The majority of CEOs, who were selected according to their Fortune 1000 ranking, were Caucasian males of similar age.

The study, which appears in the February 2008 issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reveals a strong connection between appearances and success as it leaves behind an intriguing question: which came first, the powerful-looking CEO or their successful career?

Adapted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ceo; company; impression; successful

1 posted on 01/14/2008 2:52:24 PM PST by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: blam

some people have too much time on their hands.


2 posted on 01/14/2008 2:57:13 PM PST by the invisib1e hand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

Interesting. But it’s not just a matter of whether a face is handsome or “pretty.” It’s also a matter of facial expression, eyes, wrinkle lines, poise of the head, and a lot of other subtle indications of character.

I mentioned this on a thread about a sexy looking murderess. She was superficially good looking, but her eyes and her expression looked truly ugly and menacing, in spite of that.

The same thing holds true of pictures of male executives. We learn to judge people by their looks—which is entirely different from saying we learn to judge them according to whether they are good looking. Sometimes looks can fool you, but it’s surprising how much you can often read in a person’s face.


3 posted on 01/14/2008 2:58:59 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam
In the military, as you progress up thru the ranks, a factor called ‘command presence’ comes into play with promotion boards. Those that have it will move forward ... those that don’t may not.
4 posted on 01/14/2008 2:59:44 PM PST by BluH2o
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam
Lasting Impression: Does The Face Of A CEO Determine A Successful Company?

If so, Bob Nardelli was one ugly SOB at The Home Depot.

5 posted on 01/14/2008 3:00:18 PM PST by TexasNative2000 (Is this tagline governed by McCain-Feingold?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
Interesting. But it’s not just a matter of whether a face is handsome or “pretty.” It’s also a matter of facial expression, eyes, wrinkle lines, poise of the head, and a lot of other subtle indications of character.


6 posted on 01/14/2008 3:00:38 PM PST by jdm (A Hunter Thompson ticket would be suicide.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: blam
Of course, there's always the eccentricity wild card...


7 posted on 01/14/2008 3:05:59 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasNative2000

Robert Nardelli, 57 (Home Depot)

Sell Home Depot stock?

8 posted on 01/14/2008 3:07:54 PM PST by blam (Secure the border and enforce the law)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Joe 6-pack
Yeah, you can see a lot in a face sometimes....


9 posted on 01/14/2008 3:17:34 PM PST by traditional1 (Thompson/Hunter '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: blam

Sell Home Depot stock?

i’d sell. Home Depot is going down. their policies are driving employees to Lowe’a and other places.


10 posted on 01/14/2008 3:29:39 PM PST by tired1 (responsibility without authority is slavery!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jdm

11 posted on 01/14/2008 3:37:04 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: blam

btt


12 posted on 01/14/2008 4:19:15 PM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson