Gaby
Researchers from the Donald Costello College of Business have uncovered another factor behind the remarkable success of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. All three of these modern-day titans of industry are left-handed. As scientists have discovered, left-handed individuals often climb to the highest echelons of their careers and amass significant wealth for their efforts.
The research team announced their findings after analyzing the success profiles of 1,008 top executives from 472 companies around the globe.
The results revealed a connection between the left-handedness of these prominent leaders and their achievements, particularly in terms of groundbreaking innovations and higher company profits.
“Factors such as family background, genetics, academic education, career path, and many others can influence a CEO’s decisions; in fact, a lot shapes them into who they are,” said Professor Long Chen, the lead author of the study.
Scientists Had Already Suspected Left-Handers Achieve More
Previous studies had already suggested a link between left-handedness and success. In 2017, researchers found that left-handed individuals performed better in dynamic sports. Then in 2019, scientists proved that left-handers possess superior verbal skills, as reported by the Daily Mail.
However, the connection between a top executive’s success and whether they are left- or right-handed remained unclear. To uncover this link, researchers first closely examined photographs and videos of CEOs writing, playing sports, painting, and eating.
“We looked at their photos on the golf course, for instance, to see how they held their clubs. We also noted which wrist they wore their watches on; left-handers often wear them on their right wrist,” reported Professor Jun Woo Pak, a co-author of the study.
The vast majority of participants (91.4 percent) were right-handed, 7.9 percent were left-handed, and 0.7 percent were mixed-handed.
Next, the scientists analyzed the performance of the companies led by the CEOs included in the study from 1992 to 2015. They considered company characteristics and personal traits related to the executives’ innovativeness. The analysis showed that companies led by left-handed executives boasted higher levels of innovative activity, a greater number of unique patents, and significantly better asset profitability.
Interestingly, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg are far from the only highly successful left-handers. Among them are also John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Oprah Winfrey, Louis Gerstner, Steve Forbes, and many other exemplary figures.
