Their findings, recently published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, suggest that left-handed CEOs tend to drive more innovation and higher company performance than their right-handed peers.
“CEO decisions aren’t made in a vacuum—they’re shaped by everything from upbringing to education and even genetics,” said Professor Long Chen, a co-author of the study. And apparently, being left-handed might offer a creative edge!
To reach this conclusion, the research team analyzed over 1,000 CEOs across 472 companies. They looked at photos, videos, and even watch-wearing habits (lefties often wear watches on the right wrist) to figure out which hand these top execs favor. In some cases, they even called companies directly to confirm.
The results were eye-opening
Only 7.9% of CEOs were left-handed, but those who were had a noticeable impact.
Companies that switched from right-handed to left-handed CEOs saw a spike in innovation, producing more unique patents and highly cited inventions.
On the flip side, switching from a left-handed to a right-handed CEO did not show the same creative boost.
What’s more, left-handed CEOs were more likely to hire foreign employees, who are statistically shown to contribute more to innovation. This suggests that lefties might not only think differently—but also lead differently, embracing diverse perspectives and encouraging fresh ideas.
So, while being left-handed isn’t a magic bullet for success, this study hints that thinking (and writing!) with the left hand might just come with a creative edge—one that helped shape some of the most groundbreaking companies of our time.
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