Writing on the wall

IN FRANCE, the approach to life is closest to what we find in India. In many areas, striking parallels can be drawn between French and Indian practices. It is therefore unusual that this HR practice, being followed in France, and now lately by the British and the rest of Europe has not made its mark in India.

Graphology, or the science of handwriting analysis has gained considerable currency in Europe where the French demonstrated how effective it was in the allotment of jobs to applicants. Figment in France is remarkably exact with few people slotted into unsuitable jobs. This captured the fancy of HR chiefs in Germany and Britain who have studied the concept and have come to the confirmed conclusion that graphology does in fact cast valuable light on the character and attitudinal traits of job applicants.

The practice has been further refined to help in the area of promotion and job progression. French automakers, the aviation industry, and marketing agencies make use of the science to good effect. Today, German automakers and sales agencies are extensively making use of the method. In Britain, remarkable results have been noticed from the application of graphology in the areas of recruitment and promotion.The practice, though recently popular in Europe, is not entirely new to India. In the 1960s and early 1970s, it was not uncommon to find recruitment advertisements in all the major newspapers in the country asking for applications made in the applicants' own handwriting. It transpired that many applications were rejected out of hand as they were illegible, or were in some way messy. Corporate bosses whose own handwriting was less than elegant, felt that analysis based on handwriting was not reliable. This came from a repressed fear of being themselves analysed on the basis of their own writing. It says a great deal for their influence as opinion leaders that they were successful in completely eradicating the practice from the country.

The Europeans base their practice on the `digt' principle which examines each individual handwriting on the way the applicant executes the four letters d, i, g, and t. The letter d is strongly indicative of the writer's social behaviour. The i, especially the placement of the dot over it reveals many personal characteristics while the letter g, with its extension below the line points to the writer's attitude to sex and its effect on the working relationships. The way it is written has shown to be a remarkably accurate indicator of the writer's sense of purpose and view of the future. In Britain, the method has been adapted to the singular fact that English is the only language in the world that has a single letter to denote the personal pronoun for the self, I. All other languages have more than two letters for the same definition. The British, as a result follow the digIt' method where the capitalised I holds an ideal descriptor of the writer's central identity.

Applicants are given ballpoint pens and unruled A4 size paper to write a short note about themselves not exceeding 300 words. The paragraph is then analysed by consultant graphologists, who check the margination, which indicates the social attitudes; the letter size, that points out the emotional make-up of the writer; the flow of the writing indicates the writers' state of mind and their general attitude. They also note the zonal treatment of the writing. There are three easily distinguishable zones' in writing, the upper, which consists of the tops of the tall letters (b, d, f, h, etc.); the middle zone, which is everything on the line, particularly those that are not tall nor extend below the line. The lower zone are letters that extend below the line (f, g, j, etc.) the upper zone deals with the imagination, ambition and spirituality of the writer; the middle to the social attitude; and the lower zone to the subconscious and emotional balance of the writer. Graphologists also examine the slant, which reveals the outer being and extroversion or introversion of the writer. Starting strokes are good indicators of personal attitudes while connecting strokes give a better than accurate picture of the overall character of the writer. Spacing has been noticed to be an excellent indicator of the interpersonal attitudes. The direction of the baseline shows the drift of the writer's mind. Stylus pressure on the paper is a good diagnostic tool to determine stress and the writer's ability to handle it. Speed of writing indicates the speed of thought, and the urgency of the impulses displayed by the writer.

These, along with the analysis of the `digt' or `digIt' method provide employers with an accurate picture of each candidate. So successful has this been in recruiting that companies have begun to use graphology to examine the suitability of candidates for promotion. Some well-known multinational corporations have taken this a step further by requiring candidates to write an obituary of themselves which reveals the innermost concerns of the writer and provides considerable insights into the psychological stability of the individual.

The accuracy of this practice has been tested extensively and it has been proved a valuable hiring tool. The fact that it was once used in our own country lead many to feel that the practice be revived. In these days of high competency, attitude makes a great deal of difference, a difference that could make or break an organisation. With millions of pounds having been spent on graphological research, and a better understanding of the subject reached, it is no wonder that its popularity is spreading worldwide.

Abhimanyu Acharya

abhimanyu@india.com

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