By Leadership Keynote Speaker, Jamie Mason Cohen
Are there handwriting traits that are comparable to body language cues when it comes to understanding a person’s personality/unconscious mind/true beliefs?
Organizations use many avenues of intelligence to find the best candidate when it comes to filling some of the most important positions.
I’m a handwriting expert who uses my skill in combination with data-driven executive leadership assessments to help organizations develop their employees to reach their full potential.
Is there a body language of our handwritten words?
Jamie: Handwriting is a projection and map of the of the unconscious mind. It’s your personality on paper. Handwriting analysts believe you can tell how an individual wants to be seen by the world through the unconscious act of signing their name.
Cursive handwriting is sometimes referred to as frozen body language because your brain creates the image of what you want to express and your fingers carry out the directive of your mind.
By identifying what certain written traits look like and mean, you can gain instant insights into how you come across to others. Small neuromuscular movements are the same for every person who that personality trait. Micro-movements are so tiny they need to be visually frozen to be identified; handwriting is an example of this visually frozen movement.
How could social aptitude be reflected in a person’s handwriting or body language?
It’s in the size and the slant. A shy socially withdrawn or introverted person may display small, cramped letters that slant to the left. This individual is signaling to the world that they prefer a quiet night at home to a loud, gregarious party. They may appear to someone who doesn’t know them like a snail who doesn’t come out of its shell too often. Accountants, auditors, scientists, engineers, computer programmers, fighter pilots and possibly surgeons may display small, left-leaning and angular writing.
The writing also correlates to a personality type that rarely displays emotions easily. To project a more dynamic, charismatic public persona, practice signing your name larger, in the center of the page, with a slight upward slant.
A grander, bolder signature equals the physical manifestation of a more outwardly confident image. It gives others the impression that you see yourself as a leader comfortable with being the center of attention or taking the lead in a new project at work.
What does handwriting tell us about direct and clear communication?
In terms of direct and clear communication, it’s in the loops of your circle letters. Handwriting that displays middle-zone letters free of interior double loops represents integrity. Double loops that pervade writing may show that a person doesn’t feel safe telling certain people the truth about something going on in their life.
While writing, you may consider bringing some nonjudgmental self-awareness to the unnecessary loops that you are making in the circular shapes such as “O”, “A” and “D”. It may help bring a new perspective as to why you may be withholding the truth in a particular situation.
What can handwriting reveal about self-esteem, ambition and goals?
With regards to high self-esteem, ambition and goals, it’s in the height of the t-bar. A high, strongly written t-bar from left to right shows that a person values themselves and their ability to plan ahead to achieve their goals.
If the t-bar is softly drawn and fades out quickly, it may be beneficial to change this stroke. The next time you are taking notes in a meeting, consciously write strong, high and long strokes on the top half of the t-bar to project enthusiastic and powerful level of self-esteem.
It can generate enthusiasm and help positively shift one’s mind-set by changing the neural pathways that correlate to a specific trait. The high t-bar also reflects the unconscious belief of setting strong and clear personal boundaries, of fearlessly facing change, and signals to the brain to take calculated risks in the direction of where someone sets out to go in life.
How may barriers to trust be shown through handwriting?
Yes, a barrier to trusting people may be seen in the indicator of an illegible signature. If your signature is illegible, it may be a sign that you have a desire to be seen but not known.
You are projecting to the world that you are a private person who desires to keep your identity hidden. It could also be seen as an obstacle to intimacy and connecting with others. To solve this, take the time to write out every letter in both your given name and your surname to display and feel more openness, approachability and presence.
