MANAGEMENT COMPETENCY
DEVELOPMENT IN STUDENTS
THROUGH HANDWRITING ANALYSIS &
GRAPHOTHERAPY
V. S. V. PRASAD
Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies S. V. University, Tirupati.
Dr. P. RAGHUNADHA REDDY
Professor, Department of Management Studies, S. V. University, Tirupati.
Abstract
Management competencies have been
defined, listed and enumerated by many
organisations, educationists, HR professionals ad
infinitum. On the other hand, educational
institutions have been making efforts to develop
and instill the competencies in the management
students too. However, a new approach is
suggested in this paper to actively attempt to
change the attitudes / thinking and behavior of
management students through handwriting analysis
and graph therapy. Handwriting analysis is a
science that has developed over the last century
and is known to be quite effective in identifying the
personality traits of an individual. Graph therapy
extends this effort into proactively changing the
handwriting and change behavior which in turn
gets improved results in any field of activity,
especially management.
Handwriting? In this age of computers?
That is a very logical question considering that most of us do not use handwriting to any great extent these days but students do use it in their academic pursuit. “Handwriting actually could be called brain writing. When you first began to form letters, you had to think about how to make each one of them; they were somewhat shaky. It was not unlike learning to drive a car: When you first
Started to shift the gears you also had to think about pushing the clutch in, what gear to engage, how far out and how quickly to release the clutch. When you first started learning to write, it was the same. But after a short time, your subconscious mind began to take over the duties of forming the letters. As you progressed further, your subconscious mind began to learn words.
Then you had only to think of the meaning and your subconscious mind sent minute electrical impulses to your hand telling you exactly how far to go and how to make each letter within the word. Thus you began to write without conscious thought of the writing formation. In other words, your brain or subconscious mind actually formed the characters as a result of habit. The pressure of your pen and the formation of each part of each letter show your subconscious thinking.
What are some of the traits of a person that can be identified through Handwriting Analysis?
Emotional stability, Depth of Thinking, Social Ability, Fears, Communication Ability, Self Esteem, Leadership, Vision, Enthusiasm, Time Consciousness, Dominance, Creativity…..to name a few. Over 90 different character traits can be identified and typically a person would have 25 – 30 of them. (Since the traits are unique and one individual will not have all of them at the same time).
Some Personality Traits & Handwriting samples Investigative Thinker Surface Thinker
Comprehensive Thinker Organizational Ability
Self Confidence Desire for Responsibility
Fluidity of Thought Visionary
Optimism Domineering
Handwriting Analysis – Trait Chart
HTs Dual self destructive
Lives for the
moment Lying Loops
Low Self Esteem
Need for Challenge Emotion FA AB BC CD DE E+ Resentment Paranoia Retention Hard Medium Soft Arcade Angle Garland Thread
Margins
Thinking Cumulative Analytical Surface Extravagant Concentration Enthusiasm Fluidity of
Thought
Attentive to Details Intuition Social Loner Loner with
lack of drive Aggressive
Anti-Social /Lack of Trust
Socially
SelectiveClannish Diplomacy Physical Physical Frustration Healthy Physical Drives Exaggerated Physical Drives Perversion Need for physical activity Needs a challenge Dominance Dominant Stubborn Blunt Selective Listener Sensitive Sensitive to Criticism - Personal (d) Sensitive to Criticism - Ideas (t) Temper Argumen
tative Defiance Jealousy Self Conscious Self Control Sarcasm Self Critical Sense of
Humor Direct
Pride & Dignity
Desire for Attention Fears Fear of
Success Self Deceit Secretive Lying Talkative Guilt
Issue with father
Issue with mother Perfection Perfectionism Need for
Control Persistence Esteem / Goals Low Self Esteem High Self
Esteem Low Goals High Goals Dreamer
Desire for Responsibility
Self Reliance / Leadership
Desire for Culture
Name Section Profile Selection
Balanced - Awareness of social boundaries / poise/
order/control/aesthetic sense
Wide Left - Avoidance of Past, sense of culture, vitality, communicative,
courage in facing life
Wide Right - Fear of the future, over-sensitivity, self conscious, reserved Fear of Success /
Dejection / Frustration
No Margins - eliminates borders with others,
causes strong +/- emotions, talks too much,
fears empty space/death
Wide Upper - Modesty, formality, respect shown to
the receiver of letter
Narrow Upper - Informality, directness,
lack of respect, indifference
Wide Margins all over - Withdrawn/aloof, sensitive to color/form
in surroundings, importance placed on
money / artistic
Left Margin widening - Eager to move away from
past into world / optimistic, impatient
Left Margin narrowing - Inner fatigue or depression
caused by haste or overwork. Can't let go of
past.
Lack of Mental Cultivation
Domineering Comprehensive
Independence - block printed I Procrastination
Narrow Margins - both sides - Stinginess or acquisitiveness, lack of
consideration and reserve
Uneven Left margin - Defiance and Rebellion to
rules, lack of inner order and balance Uneven Right margin -
impulsive moods, acts and reactions unreliable
Wide Lower Margin - Losing interest in one's
environment.. Idealism..aloofness..
Reserve
Narrow Lower margin - Desire to communicate / materialism /
Management Competencies
Patricia Lotich lists 12 essential Management Competencies as Supervising Others, Conflict Resolution, Emotional Intelligence, Communication Skills, Manage Performance, Interviewing Skills, Team Building, Delegation, Change Agent, Coaching, Problem Solving and Motivating.
James Okoro, Institute of Education, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria in his research on “Assessment of Management Competencies Possessed by Postgraduate University Business Education Students to Handle Entrepreneurship Business Challenges in Nigeria” enumerates the
following traits as essential for successful management of business enterprise:
Ability to supervise business effectively Ability to have constant alertness to market
changes
Ability to interpret market information Ability to manage time effectively Ability to be resourceful and creative Ability to motivate self and others Ability to handle crises
Ability to set appropriate goals Ability to make appropriate feedback
Ability to relate properly with people to name
a few. Measured Core Competencies in Managers:
All the above competency mapping, core competency studies in managerial performance indicate that there are certain behavior traits that are critical to the success of a manager.
Core Competencies People who possess this competency demonstrate…. Results Orientation drive for improvement of business results
Strategic thinking
think beyond their own area. Have complex thinking abilities - both analytical and conceptual abilities
Influence & Collaboration
are effective in working with peers, parataners and others who are not in the line of command, to positively impact business performance
Team leadership can focus, align and built effective groups across functions, project teams
Transformational Leadership
drive for improvement through people, transforming and aligning an organisation in a new and challenging direction
Learning
drive for improvement and achievement of knowledge from each situation and experience, despite failure or success
Motivation for career this is not a competency but is the energy for all the competencies Extract from Managerial Core Competencies as Predictors of Managerial
Performance, on Different Levels of Management Ion Bucur*
Fig.1: Link between Basic Personality – Handwriting Traits & Management Competencies
Fig.1 Depicts how the Management Competences required for a successful manager can be identified in an individual through specific Handwriting Traits.
For Example
In order to be a Change Agent, a person has to
have the traits of Enthusiasm, Persistence and Will Power to follow up on implementation of organizational change plans.
In order to Solve Problems, a person needs to
have the traits of Attention to Detail, Fluidity of Thought, Creativity and Depth of Thinking Similarly, a person with inherent leadership
(The list of competencies is only indicative and there are many that can be included. Similar interplay between traits identified through Handwriting Analysis and Managerial Competencies can be derived for other competencies).
How to identify weak competencies and develop them through systematic changes in handwriting?
Key Personality Traits (Handwriting Analysis) in Identification of
Management
Competencies
TIMELINESS
PERSONALITY
EMOTIONS
INTELLECT ENERGY
SELF RELIANCE, LEADERSHIP, VISION, TIMELINESS ORGANISING ABILITY
EMOTIONAL STABILITY DOMINANCE, SOCIABILITY
CHANGE AGENT COACHING
TEAM BUILDING PATIENCE PROBLEM
SOLVING SELF DEVELOPMENT
SUPERVISING OTHERS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS MANAGE PERFORMANCE, MOTIVATING, DELEGATING
CONFLICT RESOLUTION, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE INTERVIEWING SKILLS
managerial role even as they prepare to step into their first jobs. While the current curriculum / pedagogy does focus on educating the management students on the requirement of management roles, there is no definite attempt to mould individual students / help them change behavior through concerted effort after understanding their strengths, weaknesses vis a vis managerial competencies that are required for success.
Bart A Baggett in his “Success Secrets of the Rich and Happy” lists Roadblocks to Success:
Fear of Failure / Low Goals Low self-esteem / Weak Ego Fear of Success / Sabotage Goals
Fear of Ridicule / Rejection
(Self-consciousness) Fear of Criticism Self-Castigation
Guilt and or Living in the Past Lack of Integrity / Honesty Resentment or Anger
Each of these roadblocks can be identified through handwriting analysis (refer Handwriting Analysis Chart). The question then is how does a person, management student in this case, correct a weakness and work on his strengths?
That is when the science of Graphotherapy can be applied to bring about changes in the thinking, behavior and hence develop the competency required in a managerial role.
Grapho-Therapy Defined7:G-T is a means of making conscious changes in your handwriting in order to bring about positive subconscious changes within yourself. Every stroke in your writing correlates to a personality trait within you. It helps you recognize and identify negative strokes and get rid of them; thus, getting rid of negative traits within you. I also suggest including positive strokes which will result in development of positive personality traits. This is a reversal of the normal
writing process where the brain sends messages to the hand. Instead, have your hand send messages to your brain. Ever notice that if you change your mood, your handwriting changes? Well, why not reverse the process? Change yourself by changing your handwriting on purpose.
For example: A person who has Fear of Failure / Low Goals typically has a low self concept and a t bar that is low (fig on the left below):
And Graphotherapy recommends that by changing the letter t, in cursive handwriting, (as shown in the figure on the right above), the person can change his self concept. (however, a detailed study of the handwriting of the person by an expert is recommended before making any changes). Key issues in Competency Mapping / Development in Management Students
Design of a Competency map: It is important
that each management stream has its own competency map that clearly identifies the character traits expected / required of a student in that stream / planning to take up the stream. Handwriting Analysis by a professional:
Second step is to get the handwriting of the student analysed by an experienced professional who can identify the Strengths/Weaknesses/ Opportunities and Threats seen in the profile of the candidate via the Handwriting Analysis.
Change and Practise the Graphotherapy
gives the recommended handwriting changes that the student can start practicing and over a period of time change his/her thinking/ behavior to achieve the competencies desired. Follow up analysis and confirmation of
change: Typically, a handwriting change via graphotherapy can be effective in a period of one to three months. After a 3 month practice of the changed handwriting, the student’s handwriting can be analysed for change in his thinking and change in behavior can be confirmed through a. interviewing the person and b. by interviewing those around him checking for observable behavior changes. References
1) Handwriting is Brain writing: Excerpt from Handwriting Analysis Certification Course – Dr. Ray Walker, Edited by Karen Sitzberger, 1996.
2) Handwriting Samples – from Handwriting Analysis Certification Course – Dr. Ray Walker, Edited by Karen Sitzberger, 1996. 3) “12 Essential Management Competencies”,
Patricia Lotich - https:// thethriving small business.com/12- essential- competencies-every-manager-should-master/.
4) Okoro, James. Institute of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria – “Assessment of Management Competencies Possessed by Postgraduate University Business Education Students to Handle Entrepreneurship Business Challenges in Nigeria”
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079758.pdf 5) Extract from Managerial Core Competencies
as Predictors of Managerial Performance, on Different Levels of Management. Ion Bucur,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ pii/S1877042813008811
6) Bart A. Bagget: Success Secrets of the Rich and Happy, Sterling Paperbacks, 2004. Page 151
