How success of Elon Musk and Richard Branson could be in their CHEEKBONES

MALE entrepreneurs are more likely to have a symmetrical face and high cheekbones, researchers say.

A new study conducted by experts from the University of Cyprus found that a man’s facial features may be linked to leadership skills.

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The study titled “What’s in a face? Facial appearance associated with emergence but not success in entrepreneurship” was recently published in The Leadership Quarterly.

“Facial appearance has been associated with leader selection in domains where effective leadership is considered crucial, such as politics, business, and the military,” the study’s authors noted in the article.

The team used facial analysis software to assess three key features in men’s faces: facial symmetry, cheekbone prominence, and facial width-to-height ratio.

The subjects for this study consisted largely of white males (both entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs) who reside in the United States.  

The research revealed that men with more prominent cheekbones and a symmetrical face were more likely to be entrepreneurs (i.e. Elon Musk and Richard Branson), however, the facial width-to-height ratio did not appear to be a factor.

The study noted that while these physical traits may be linked to someone becoming an entrepreneur, it does not affect whether they will be successful.

The study’s lead author, Dimosthenis Stefanidis, of the University of Cyprus, said: “The findings from our research suggest that facial appearance is associated with the emergence of leaders but not with their subsequent business performance.”  

The authors wrote in the study that although this study focused on a single demographic, they hope to look at a more diverse group that includes women in the future.

“Future research could also focus on identifying the social inferences formed by the facial characteristics and how they influence entrepreneurship,” the authors stated.

The researchers added that further research may also examine how a potential link between facial characteristics and environmental factors can influence the likelihood of someone becoming an entrepreneur.

A similar journal article was published in 2013 that highlighted the link between facial shape and leadership ability.

That study looked mainly at how face images predicted the outcomes of political elections and “are correlated with leadership success in the corporate world.”

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In other news, the creators of a chilling new horror game say that the title is so disturbing they’ve been forced to censor it on PlayStation.

Apple has announced updates to AirTags following claims that the coin-sized tracking devices are being used to stalk people.

And TikTok has announced new rules, banning users who deadname or misgender others.