A new study has found a surprising link between the success of famous CEOs like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. While all three are known for their leadership skills, strategic thinking, and strong communication, the study uncovered something else they all share in common.
It turns out that all three of these successful CEOs are left-handed. According to research published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, there is a connection between left-handed entrepreneurs and greater innovation, as well as higher returns for their companies.
Professor Long Chen, who co-authored the study, explained that many factors shape a CEO’s decisions, such as family background, genetics, education, and career path. To conduct the study, the researchers looked at over 1,000 CEOs from 472 companies. They studied photos and videos of the CEOs to figure out if they were left- or right-handed by observing activities like writing, drawing, eating, or even throwing. If it wasn’t clear, they contacted the companies directly for clarification. They also noted which wrist the CEO wore their watch on, since left-handed people often wear their watches on the right wrist.
The results showed that most CEOs (91.4%) were right-handed, while 7.9% were left-handed and 0.7% used both hands. Interestingly, companies led by left-handed CEOs were found to be more innovative and had more unique patents. In fact, the study found that when a company switched from a right-handed to a left-handed CEO, they saw a noticeable increase in the number of patents and new ideas. However, the opposite didn’t happen when companies switched from a left-handed to a right-handed CEO.
Additionally, the research suggested that companies led by left-handed CEOs were more likely to hire foreign employees, who tend to produce more innovative ideas compared to local employees. This points to the idea that left-handed CEOs may be more open-minded, which encourages creativity and drives innovation in their businesses.
