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Vol. 33, No. 2 Issue 127 Spring 2015 Summer 2015
THE GRAPHOLOGIST
THE JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF GRAPHOLOGISTS
Autumn meeting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inside front
cover
Hans Jacoby - Lesson on the Writing Angle (28.7.1941) - Transcribed by Ruth Rostron ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Various Published Analyses - Tracey Trussell ------------------------------------------------ 29
What manner of black arts?? - John Beck- -------------------------------------------------- 33
Evil handwritings - Elaine Quigley -------------------------------------------------------------- 47
Letter from Australia - Meryl Bolin ------------------------------------------------------------ Inside back
cover
Northern Graphologists’ Seminar - Announcement -------------------------------------- Back cover
Editor: Elaine Quigley and Karolina Tolgyesi Published quarterly by The British Institute of Graphologists
Langdale House, Chalfont St Peter, SL9 9BW – Tel: 01753 891241 – www.britishgraphology.org Email enquiries: [email protected] ISSN 0951 6336 ©Copyright 2014
Views expressed in published articles are not necessarily those of the Institute.
The British Institute of Graphologists – Founded by Frank Hilliger in1983 Chairman: Mr Adam Brand, Twickenham, Middlesex Tel & fax: 020 8892 6831 Email: [email protected]
Education Officer Mrs Ruth Rostron Stockport, Cheshire. Tel: 0161 431 5517 email: [email protected]
Vice-Chairman: Mr John Beck, Brentwood, Essex, Tel: 01277 218776 Email:[email protected]
Treasurer Ms Jenny Brooke Chalfont St Peter, Bucks Tel: 01753 892018
Secretary/Co-Editor of the Journal/ B.I.G. Library: Mrs Elaine Quigley, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks Tel: 01753 891241 Email: [email protected]
Website and Marketing Coordinator Mrs Tracey Trussell Oxhey Village, Watford, Herts Tel: 01923 818413 Email: [email protected]
Membership Secretary: Mrs Susan Ord Chester, Cheshire Tel: 01244 671417 Email:[email protected]
Research Officer and Co-Editor of the Journal Ms Karolina Tolgyesi London Email: [email protected]
Ms Gill Beale Kidmore End, Reading. 0118 972 2872 Email: [email protected]
The next meeting of the British Institute of Graphologists will be on SUNDAY, 6 September 2015 at The Soroptimist Club, 63 Bayswater Road, London, W2 3PH. Tel: 0207 723 8575
11am – 1pm Elaine Quigley - I'm OK, You're OK, an introduction to Transactional Analysis. How we adopt a position in the way we interact with others , i.e. Parent, Adult, Child and our coping strategies. Understanding the inner compulsion to operate in one of these identities can help us to recognise ways of influencing changes in attitude, thus gaining more harmonious interaction.
1pm – 2pm: Lunch
2pm – 4pm Sheila Lowe - Famous psychologists (Freud, neo-Freudians, behaviorists, humanists) and their handwriting. This is fascinating because Sheila discovered that their handwriting reveals why they picked the specific methodology for which they became known. We are very fortunate that Sheila Lowe will be in the U.K. at the time of our September meeting and she has agreed to come and speak at our meeting on Sunday, September 6th. This is an occasion that no one should miss if they are able to get to The Soroptimist Club that day.
£15 for the day for members, £20.00 for non-members
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HANS JACOBY - LESSON ON THE WRITING ANGLE (28.7.1941) - TRANSCRIBED BY RUTH ROSTRON
4 pages 25.5 x 20.5 cms. Typewritten carbon copy in blue with handwritten illustrations, underlinings and corrections in black ink and pencil. The last lesson written for his pupil Fred Walker. Includes notes on the slant of initial and final letters, also variations within the stroke and between zones.
1. Slant of the initial, upright angle of following letters ‘Slant’ = right slant
Impulsive, emotional initial impetus followed by an attitude of reserve (If I remember correctly, I dealt with this in the lesson on initial letters). Initial self-forgetfulness, after which a greater self-control sets in.
2. Upright angle of the initial, slant of following letters.
The opposite to 1.: Initial reserve, followed by greater spontaneity and impulsiveness. Or an effort to appear more balanced and reserved which cannot be sustained for long. Or a deliberate cautiousness which does not last, but gives way to a more self-forgetful attitude.
3. Slant of the final, upright angle of preceding letters.
Self-possession slackens and gives way to either genial response to one’s fellow-beings or susceptibility to being influenced by them.
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4. Upright angle of the final, slant of the preceding letters.
Emotional spontaneity switching over to either cautiousness, self-possession or inhibition when coming into close touch with one’s fellow-beings.
5. Slant of letters with full or medium length, leftward slant of letters of small size, that is, in the middle zone only. Example on the next page! (The example is included here for convenience)
The general attitude of the writer is one of response to his fellow-beings; whilst his attitude in more personal, intimate domains is one of strong reserve, or aversion. It is a contradictory attitude. We find it particularly often in people’s writing who are generally not at all opposed to contacts, but feel averse to their marriage partner, or feel unhappy in their job. People who feel they have chosen the wrong profession or occupation in which they find displeasure rather than pleasure, write like this, and more generally people who are a bit neurotic, keep their feeling somewhat narcissistically to themselves, are inhibited in the expression of their true feeling, are cramped and react to a person who arouses their interest with, at the same time, sympathy and antipathy. Also people who for the sake of a great cause have to suppress their personal feelings (nurses, stretcher-bearers, demolition squads, etc.), i.e. persons whose sensitive feeling is hurt by what they have to perform and to experience, yet who carry on and just suppress their averse feelings.
6. Change from upright to slant in lower zone.
Being easily influenced in material issues. Lack of independence and pluck in material or practical matters, being without guts. The writer feels unable to stand a great amount of practical responsibility, feels easily discouraged, may behave in a very infantile way, much dependent on the guidance of others, particularly on the instincts of others. Very infantile in sexualibus. [sic]
7. Change from upright angle to leftward slant in the lower zone.
Instinctively spiteful, or warding instinctively off any chance of getting under the influence of others, instinctively hostile or guarded attitude towards fellow-beings whilst consciously perhaps very much drawn to them, responsive, etc. Sexual fears or sexual inhibitions or crampedness. Also physical disturbances of sexual organs!
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Compare to 6 and 7 what has been said in a different context, e.g. in connection with tendency to the left or right, or fullness or otherwise.
6 and 7 are both not self-reliant or very self-possessed, the main difference between them being that in the case of 6 the writer gives weakly in to influences whilst in the case of 7 the writer over-compensates his susceptibility and instinctively fights as if an attack was made on him, and is on the defensive even if nothing and nobody is threatening his independence. Both are prone to touchiness, being easily hurt and losing easily their self-confidence.
8. Change from slant to upright in upper zone.
The writer is prone to influences in intellectual issues, his mind is suggestible rather than independent and self-reliant. There is also a tendency to touchiness.
9. Change from leftward slant to upright in upper zone.
Being of a suggestible rather than independent mind, but attempting to ward off influences. Tendency to touchiness too.
8 and 9 may, quite frequently, be caused by physical disturbances and be due to arthritis, rheumatism, neurhitis, etc.
10. Constantly changing angle of strokes.
This shows a particular want of backbone. The writer is irritable, easily swayed, very uncertain of himself, easily hurt, becomes a victim of his ever contradictory emotions. Although it may not always show outwardly, he is ever so much inwardly shaken and upset by either new impressions from without or by emotional contradictory sensations within.
10 may as well as 8 and 9 be caused by physical disability, mainly due to the above mentioned causes. However, the aetiology of 10 is more uncertain than that of 8 and 9. For with 10 the possibility of an organic nervous disease cannot be ruled out and can practically be found very frequently. Yet a differential diagnosis has not yet been possible.
11. Beginning of a page showing slant turning to upright angle gradually, the page ending with upright angle. Meaning similar to 1.
12. Upright beginning of a page, gradually proceeding in slant and ending with a slanting hand. Meaning as in case 2.
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13. Change from slant to upright angle in middle zone.
The writer is particularly prone to influences in emotional issues, or in personal issues or those of relationships and inclines to suggestibility and touchiness. In various cases, we also have to think of mannerism, artificiality, and in still more cases of hysterical disposition. Moodiness.
14. Change from leftward slant to upright angle in middle zone.
This writer, too, is open to being easily influenced and feeling easily hurt in emotional, personal matters and those of relationships, but he puts up a barrage and strongly fights against it. Hysteria and artificiality may also be found here, also moodiness.
15. Change from leftward slant to upright angle or slant in middle zone, or from rightward slant to upright angle or leftward slant in middle zone. Examples see below!
Most frequently hysterical, artificial, also terribly moody and touchy, very irritable emotional disposition, very contradictory.
On the physical plane: 13 and 14 most frequently similar disturbances as mentioned in 8 and 9. – 15 occasionally similar disturbances as mentioned in the case of 10. 15, and in rare cases, 13 and 14, too, might also be found with cancerous diseases, but in a somewhat less conspicuous execution than that which I put down against 13 to 15.
Although Hans Jacoby continued to teach Fred Walker until shortly before he died in 1943 he wrote no more lessons for him. He said in the letter that accompanied this lesson: ‘I can, however, not promise whether I shall be able to spare time for doing them as I will be busy for some time to come with routine work, preparation of lectures and work on new books, but I shall try my best.’
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VARIOUS PUBLISHED ANALYSES – TRACEY TRUSSELL
James Manning wrote to me on 13th February 2015 from the Music section at Time Out London magazine, “hoping that no other music journalists had beaten him to the punch and got in touch with me already that morning!”.
James explained that the previous night one of the world’s biggest R&B singers, Drake, released a new project online. It came with a handwritten letter (see below), thanking people who had been influential on the project. James thought it might be interesting and fun to submit the letter for analysis by a graphologist, and try and get some insight into Drake’s personality or psychology based on his handwriting. My on-the‐spot snapshot analysis was published online within the hour.
Subsequently Al Horner, Assistant Editor of the NME (New Music Express) magazine contacted me also. He was looking to run a piece collecting examples of famous musician’s handwriting (from album sleeve notes that had been made public) and having them analysed by a professional graphologist. You can read the results below.
Drake
The Social Missionary
A curious mix of defiance, originality, hedonism and anxiety: this guy has a finger on the pulse of what’s current. Drake’s a strictly private man and he moves incognito: the facade is strong and impenetrable, built consciously and maintained aggressively to protect a soft core. He’s uncompromising in his mission, and deeply committed to his cause. And it’s all because it matters, and he cares.
Drake has an urge to be in control, not only of the people he cares about but also his environment, and particularly the social scene. He’s a control freak, and independent, uncooperative, self‐sufficient, yet struggles to make emotional connections with others. His answer is simple – he takes up all the air‐time himself, so no one else can get a word in edgeways. Personal feelings are under wraps.
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Pete Doherty
The Tragic Romantic
A lovely, lonely, lost, gentle soul living life on his own terms but torn between facing the future and needing to retreat to the past. He moves forwards gradually, bravely, one step at a time, and then backwards with two, with a predilection to fall back into old ways and old habits. A difficult paternal relationship leaves him feeling misunderstood and troubled, and triggers a need for isolation and solitude. He’s intellectual, and he’ll open his heart to someone he trusts.
Kurt Cobain
The Eternal Child
Wired to be creative with precision. Kurt’s default setting is intensely intuitive and doesn’t give a fig about convention.
This package is compromised by a turbulent, unstable temperament and lots of nervous energy. So he’s easily vexed– a better starter than finisher – and easily distracted, allowing emotion to creep in…. and turn inwards.
Kurt can’t bear to be alone with his mood swings in his private world. He needs instant self‐expression, but long term he struggles to sustain relationships and face up to reality. So the naïve child follows his own path, appreciating the journey more than the destination.
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Paul McCartney
A gourmet approach to life
This is pure, chilled class act with street cred. The genuine article.
Paul’s uncomplicated, gentle, sentimental nature is enhanced with artistic ability and integrity, and then productively applied.
He’s a delightful man who positively exudes warmth and generosity and is devoted to meeting other people’s needs. He’s good company – expressive with plenty to say and lots to offer. Pride is wrapped in ambitious, prestigious intents.
His whole raison d’etre is simple – have fun, be happy, enjoy life and be productive doing so. But too much fun, and too many projects on the go simultaneously impacts on his energy resources, bringing him down.
John Lennon
Wired for Quirk
He sees the big picture and a myriad of possibilities but essentially he's wired for quirk. Abstract thought and innovative ideas are his hallmark. He's the wild card with a tendency to make his own rules. He’s good at improvising, his mind is lively, and he’s mentally quick and thinks outside the box.
But he needs freedom to do his own thing, and when initial enthusiasm has a tendency to wane and doubts begin creeping in, he needs space to back off.
He has a personal need for privacy, and he's not always that easy to get along with. His experience of life is a constant struggle against depression. So he needs time out to recharge his batteries.
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Nick Cave
Nobody’s Quiet Mouse
Sassy, highly creative and intelligent, OTT with a strong sense of drama: ebullient confidence is featured in a man who loves a high profile. He expresses his strong sensual needs through music. So he gets himself in the zone and takes ownership of unconventional thoughts and ideas – escaping into wacky, off the wall and often unorthodox dark fantasies. He’s verbally aggressive (full of bullshit), controversial and with a tendency to exaggeration. There’s high‐octane energy involved, so ignore him at your peril!
Jamie T
Emotional responsiveness is high, yet discipline marks the character
This sample smacks of commitment to his work. This guy’s programmed to be a perfectionist with a good work ethic. He longs for recognition and wants to be seen as dependable, deliberate, and risk‐averse. He means business.
Dreams are synonymous with ambition and he spins them on firm foundations. This is more through self‐ constraint, persistence, determination and good old‐fashioned grafting than by design (and admittedly he often works smarter rather than harder).
The chink in his armour is the safety‐release‐valve that unexpectedly pops in shocking knee-jerk volatile fashion. At these moments, his reactions are rash and reckless; he acts purely at gut level.
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“…WILL APPLICANTS PLEASE APPLY IN THEIR OWN HANDWRITING…”
USING GRAPHOLOGY AS AN AID TO RECRUITMENT IN THE WORKPLACE - JOHN BECK
In preparing this article I was struck rather forcefully by the fact that I have been practising graphology in helping companies with their selection process for over 30 years; something I had no awareness of before. Most alarming.
I have no hesitation in saying that this is without doubt the most difficult of all the uses and applications of graphology; it is a minefield of danger, since the responsibility you carry as regards your conclusions over a writing may well impact upon the ability of an applicant to earn their living.
It is a minefield too in the sense that the graphologist doing this work must really be a master of his or her subject, and have a great deal of experience in analysis and psychology…. It is not in my view a branch of graphology that can easily be practised having, as it were, only newly qualified: it takes a great deal of experience to be proficient, since only one significant error on our part can have serious effects – firstly to make graphology look nonsense, and secondly to jeopardise the career prospects of an applicant or applicants.
But how much is there to be found as instruction in textbooks as regards helping to choose the right applicant for the right job? Well, surprisingly little. Some writers in English touch briefly upon the subject, but the only two books I have in my collection dedicated to this aspect of graphology are both in French. One is by Augusto Vels (1970, written in Spanish, of which I have a translation in French) and the other in French is by Mme. Marcelle Desurvire in 1992.
Both works are remarkable in their detail and in their academic approach, but alas they do not instruct the reader how to deal with the problem of how to cope with some very pointed and difficult questions being fired at you by a tough-headed banker. There may be a salary in the upper end of six digits on offer, and the banker is determined it should go to the right person.
How many lectures have I heard in my long life about graphology in recruitment? I cannot actually recall one, but with my memory being faulty, I could well be wrong. In a general sense it is not something that forms a part of lecture material that one normally hears.
So where does this leave us? Two very good books written in a foreign language whose contents are very difficult to read, and a sorry lack of any lecture material given to us across the years by experienced graphologist lecturers. So therefore I have concluded that my graphological colleagues who practise this very difficult aspect of our study, did, as I did, learn how to do it in the school of hard knocks, i.e. by trial and error, and learning from every experience we have ever had.
At the outset of this process, I always point out to the client I am working for one important thing, and it is this. I explain that it is they who are running the Company in a highly professional manner, and they are the best judges of an applicant’s suitability for a job according to the Curriculum Vitae. In other words, do they think that the applicant’s previous experience is good enough, in their view, to carry out the job they need to be filled? Does his track record* (*Latin: Curriculum vitae= “race track of life”) indicate that he can carry out the tasks needed? Most jobs in commerce are not rocket science, and it is not difficult for a Company HR director to assess a person’s suitability for a task, based on their previous employment record.
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What they do not know about however is what sort of person the applicant happens to be, and this is where graphology is so useful. I will attempt to show him or her what kind of human being they are considering for the job, what is their character, their personality, their approach to life, their working abilities. What is their predisposition for the job, their ability to relate to others, their need to work in an abstract way in producing new ideas, or whether their forte lies in dealing with people; whether they need to work in a routine way or a totally creative way; and so on, and so on.….
It is essential to first ascertain the level of seniority with the job in question: does the role require someone to be a leader, someone who supports the leader, or someone who looks after the back-room compliance work, or the assembling of statistics and reports in relation to the company activity.
This list could go on forever, but if the graphologist is a master of their task, then he or she can provide a dossier on the psychological make-up of an applicant to the HR Director before the applicant arrives at the office for interview. And if the graphologist is good…. it can be incredibly accurate.
The number of pitfalls and dangers in this process are legion, and not for the faint-hearted graphologist who has to face up to them.
Problem one
All of us know that to tell lies, to exaggerate, or to bend the truth to such an extent that to lie is wrong. But, for an unknown reason, whatever is written on an applicant’s Curriculum Vitae can be, and often is, the biggest pile of lies one could ever wish to see. Applicants will declare the extent of their genius and their superior skills, their remarkable flair and seniority, when in fact they have only previously ever been in charge of a stationery cupboard.
Often applicants for minor roles will extol their virtues and proclaim their abilities that would put to shame the skills of the CEO: it is open season for fibbing and everyone who works in this field knows how grossly unreliable the information contained on a CV can be. Many applicants think they have carte blanche to say whatever they want about themselves, be it true, exaggerated or false.
How often therefore does a graphologist working in this field analyse the handwriting on the CV for a very top job, only afterwards to realise that the innate abilities of the writer in question would hardly be enough to warrant a position working perhaps in a low-level admin position, in work of a very routine nature.
Caveat: graphologists in this field must ensure that an in vivo sample of writing is taken from the applicant at interview: in my long experience I have had an experience (only one) where it was clear someone other than the applicant wrote out the application.
Also – as is so often the case today, handwriting specimens for analysis from Company applicants are from people born outside of the English speaking world: if the applicants’ original Copy Book is based on the Roman alphabet, then I recommend taking an in vivo handwriting sample in the mother tongue of the writer in question.
People whose first language is not English may well write more slowly and deliberately, worrying about making a good impression and correct spelling, and this can affect the quality of the sample. Writing in their own language often produces a script unlike the one written in English.
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So therefore the graphologist must avoid being consciously or unconsciously influenced by what a writer proclaims about themselves on their CV, and be aware that the accompanying sample of writing may well have been written more carefully, to create a good impression. That is why a second sample at the time of interview needs to be taken. To repeat, it is vital to ignore all that the applicant says about his or her self, or their individual abilities, as most of it may not be true.
Problem two
And this is an almighty problem for the graphologist, and rarely appreciated for how important it is. It is the problem of the Persona.
As we know from Jungian teaching, all of us possesses two fundamental elements comprising the “Self”, - these are the Ego (*Latin, equating roughly to the personal pronoun “I”, relating to the inner self) and the Persona* (*meaning a mask, and relates to how we present ourselves to the outer world).
When we meet anyone for the first time, we encounter their Persona and rarely the true self. When we are amongst family and friends, or have drunk too much, this is often dispensed with, and our true selves are put on show. But for formal occasions, especially when creating a good impression to a potential employer for example, the Persona is rolled out in a big way. So that when an applicant walks into the HR Director’s office for an interview, it is not the true self that walks in (the Jungian Ego function) but the PERSONA, i.e. the image we wish to portray.
The Persona we give out is often not what we are, but what we would like to be seen as.
It is here that the male Persona and female Persona are not equally matched: in my experience in the City it is the male who projects the strongest image of self, whereas women are often more content to let themselves be seen as they are. There are many examples to prove this is not the case, but in general it works this way. Nota: if the male concerned has been educated in the British Public School System, then I can assure you his Persona will be very smart and polished and very difficult to see through, and usually massively convincing. This alone can present exceptional challenges.
The problem of the Persona is at the heart of every Company interview, and enlightened establishments perform independent psychological tests to achieve a greater degree of objectivity. The greatest test in my view, which reveals incredible amounts of personal information about an applicant, is that of graphology.
If ever anyone were doubtful of the power of the Persona, then consider for a moment those jobs and professions that involve the wearing of a uniform, which is an outward representation of a ‘public role’, akin if you like to the functioning of the Persona. Thus see how a man changes when he puts on his clerical dog-collar: see how a person changes when he or she puts on their Police uniform to go out. Note how a doctor changes when he puts on his white coat, and how a soldier changes when he dons his combat uniform.
So at interview we have the following strange scenario: the HR Director for his or her part acts out the role of Company spokesperson/Company face to the world/Corporate attitude at the interview, whilst the applicant acts out the role of the right candidate, the proper professional person, the professional candidate, a person brimming with confidence, ability to do the job, etc.etc.etc.
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This is quite a silly process of role playing on both sides, and amongst it all the HR Director has to build up a picture of the candidate, often hoping for moments when the applicant’s Persona slips for a second, and he or she catches glimpses of the true person beneath. In my experience of over 40 years in the City, I am amazed that HR Directors place so much store by these momentary slips by the candidate in an interview – they believe they see the true person in this momentary way, but they are usually very wrong indeed.
The interview process is often nothing more than a nice little danse à deux if ever there were one! PRESENTING THE CASE FOR GRAPHOLOGY TO A NEW COMPANY CLIENT, AND WHAT TO DO TO IMPRESS THEM.
When you are first called to see a Company client for the first time, be prepared for polite scepticism: I find the best way to convince them of the efficacy of graphology is to roughly follow this plan:-
(a) Explain how graphology works. I have never known the following not to work:
Take with you an example of a UK Copy book. Lay it before the HR Director. Tell him or her that this is how you were taught to write. They will always say ‘yes’
Then demand to know why he or she is not writing like this now. A blank face is what you will see. Then explain that he or she is incapable of writing in a Copy Book way. Why is this?
The reply to give is that “your special and individual nature affects the letter forms you write with: graphologists compare how you were taught to write, with what you are presenting today as normal writing. The differences between the two have their origins in your own pattern of psychology, and graphologists interpret these differences as being linked to your pattern of psychology….. “
I have never, ever, known this explanation to fail, even with the hardest City person.
Sample 1 - Male aged 51 A communicative and positive writing: applied for post of Sales leading a team in Chemicals, where communication was important. Writer adapted very well to his job.
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(b) Quotation: W. Shakespeare – Lady M. the would be Scottish Queen -
“…but screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’ll not fail”
The next phase needs your courage. Businessmen will not believe graphology works until they try it for themselves. Immediately offer to analyse his/her writing, and one other – someone they know. It has to be gratis, i.e. at no fee.
It is imperative that you get these analyses right: set your report out in plain business-like language, and do not be afraid to call a spade a spade. Be balanced in your view of the writer, juxtaposing comments on personal strengths with comments in the ‘could do better if tried’ mould. Avoid ‘positive’ traits and ‘negative’ traits…. This is desperately old fashioned now.
Present these findings first, and then have a subsequent interview. If you have got it right, they may well employ you with a sensitive placement in the future. If you are clever, they will be impressed with the insights.
(I recall a City banker, a CEO, seated in his boardroom listening to my verbal analysis of his writing that I had earlier prepared. His head was buried in his hands, in the style of pain. I asked if it were alright to proceed… he kept replying “yes”. After several minutes he looked up and asked me something I will take to my grave……….. he said, “what manner of BLACK ARTS are you using to do this?” I have never been so flattered.)
If you are in luck, they may well get you to look at the writing of an employee, present or past, who is causing or has caused them a lot of trouble, and a lot of money. If you identify and get the root of the problem, they will certainly be mightily impressed and later will employ you on an ad hoc basis.
When dealing with businessmen, it is imperative that you use direct and
Sample 2 – Female aged 31. Post of marketing director Outstanding sample of handwriting for an important post. Employer confirms her excellent talents, and an exceptional employee. Nearly all graphological factors here as positive.
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modern speech: they will fire very direct questions at you, and expect direct answers. This is why you have to be a master of graphology, and know what you are doing. You cannot equivocate in the manner of a politician, as this will be soon discovered. They like plain speaking, and you have to be able to deal with this… if not, you will not succeed. You simply have to earn their respect. Avoid like the plague any reference to Psychology. You can just about get away with mentioning Introvert and Extravert, but that is it.
(c) Try some simple Psychology on the HR Director, but not too much.
Businessmen working in Financial Services (my forte I am afraid) have little time for Psychology or anything associated with it. But…… if the graphology works, and works well, they will take it on board.
What really works with businessmen is usually an explanation of the Persona. They have nearly all been caught out (often to vast personal cost). Tell him or her this: when an applicant walks through the door of your office for an interview, it is not the real person that enters, but his or her PERSONA. If you use graphology before the person arrives to see you, you can have a reliable and accurate assessment in a file on your desk as they enter. The graphologist’s report will likely short-circuit all ‘shop window’ presentations of the applicant, and show you what the real person is made of.
Explain to the HR person: Once you employ someone, you will never ever work with what a person has written on their CV. It will be put in a drawer and forgotten. You will however work with a human being, and this is where graphology comes in, and is so enormously helpful. All other psychological tests tend to indicate personality traits in percentiles, whereas graphology addresses itself to the human nature of the person, the human being and all that is associated with it.
Sample 3 - Female: aged 38. Senior technical support role. Writing application for a senior technical role. Outstanding sample, showing very high IQ and clarity of mind. Nearly all graphological features are positive, with few exceptions. Employer is full of praise for this employee, who has proved most successful.
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In a different sense, HR Directors will all have encountered a person with an outstanding presentation of self, who has later on been found to be a scoundrel, or someone who turned out to be a poor employee. But the reverse can easily happen, and does happen.
There is a vast number of often introverted persons who do not do well at interview: they are shy, polite but guarded in their replies, and do not ‘stand out’. Yet an analysis of their writing shows them to be outstanding in many ways - their Persona in fact is an introverted and self-defensive one. It comes often a great surprise to the HR Director that someone who has interviewed badly could actually be first class in the job as described.
Whatever you do, ALWAYS juxtapose your comments in your dealings with a client in the manner of…… “the writer is inclined to appear thus, but in reality it is clear that the writer is actually like this” or words to that effect. This is imperative.
Where business and anywhere where ‘power’ factors in the workplace are to the fore, the role of the Persona will always be important. That is why it is important to explain to potential employers that graphology can (and does) assist to see beyond the appearance of someone, and lay out the true nature of a person.
(d) Ensure your reports are written in first class English, on professional headed notepaper, and that you give good service to your client. Try to give a ‘same day’ service, even if you only have time to explain main characteristics of personality. Business often requires very fast answers, and you have to be able to respond to this.
(e) Get the ‘feel’ of the Company you are going to work for.
It may come as a surprise to many, but business venture/establishment or whatever tends to have its own ‘corporate personality’ i.e. often has its own set of values, its likes and dislikes, its own ethos if you will. What is more, they often like a certain sort of person, who largely ‘fits in’ with the way they work and act.
Sample 4 - Male aged early 40's: Legal executive the writing shows a number of good qualities, particularly in the social sphere, but the job specification of Legal executive calls for the highest degree of mental clarity and analytical ability. Though he presents very well, it was felt that the congested spacing pattern and intermingling of lines (repeated in other samples) would indicate that this was not his strength.
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For example, imagine the company is called “Thompson Bros” for example, then the senior directors may well say that he or she (employees) are or are not a ‘Thompson type’
In fact the posher the company the more likely they have to have quite a discernible corporate ethos, of individual characteristics they request and require of each employee. Many new and savvy employees in a big and rich company normally get the hang of this fairly quickly, and adapt their behaviour in order to match up to what is expected. Imagine this in musical terms….. a new violin player joins a major orchestra…. He or she will soon realise that the string section plays in a certain style, and the new recruit, if he or she has any sense, will soon adapt their style of play to ‘fit in’ with the string sound that has become the norm with the orchestra.
So it is with companies, especially the larger financial institutions, and more especially every law firm I have ever encountered, each and every one judges its new intake by how quickly they start to sing from the same hymn-sheet as everyone else.
It is therefore very important for the graphologist working for such a company to keep in mind whether they believe the specimen of writing(s) for analysis can possibly show the sort of characteristics commensurate with the ‘company ethos’. For make no mistake, the very first question the HR Director will ask you when you visit the office is….. “is he/she a Thompson type?” This is more common than one would imagine.
I can only speak from my experience of 30 years doing this work as a graphologist when I say that one of the very first questions that is asked when you turn up to discuss your findings on a writing is: “is there anything wrong with this person?”. I.e. they wish to know if you can see any psychological defects of a serious nature. Then hard on the heels of this they will want confirmation that the person is emotionally stable and able to hold down a job. Often they want to know if the person is addicted to drugs or drink, and this is a much more difficult question to answer.
Sample 5 - Male: aged 35. Application for Legal Assistant in solicitor's office. This applicant had an outstanding examination record, and was certainly known to be very clever with a good IQ. However the role calls for strong inter-personal skills. Alas the huge anxiety and inhibition experienced by this applicant greatly affects his drives and motivation, and his inability to communicate freely had to be pointed out, and proved to be the problem for a successful application.
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HR Directors in the field of Commerce are usually very uninterested in psychology in all its forms, though strangely enough those that have used the Myers Briggs test (pure Jung, lifted wholesale from his book “Psychological types”) tend to think well of it, and respect it. This is often the limit of their excursions into the realm of psychology.
(f) How to deal with the HR Director with your findings.
You simply have to be able to present a cogent and direct appreciation of the writer, absolutely dismissing any graphological jargon whatsoever, in a way that is free of all complication. Commercial people tend to like to hear things in plain and straightforward terms, almost black and white in fact. Whatever you have to say must be backed up by other features in the writing that you have found, and above all else you have to be confident with your findings, with no umming or ahahing.
If you are working for a financial institution in the City of London for example, you will have to be as fully briefed on the writing as you possibly can. You must expect a number of very difficult questions to be thrown your way, and you have to know how to answer them.
You will really have to have your wits about you if you are consulted by a firm of Lawyers, be they Solicitors or Barristers. The questions they will pose are often far more intelligent than you will find from the world of commerce, where the only thing you are likely to hear is… “is he any good?”
What often happens is that the client company likes to have your initial impressions, and they like you to be brief. This is why you must be so careful that you are on the right lines, and know how to communicate your findings skilfully and in brevis. Very often it is only your first impressions and initial findings that are important: once they feel your views and their own views concur about the applicant, they are usually happy.
I have my own way of dealing with what other graphologists will call the “negative traits”. As stated earlier, I do not do ‘positive and negative’ reports, as this is so dated now. If there are significant elements which might be seen as ‘negative’, then I tend to convert these into “things to be discussed at subsequent interview”
For example: if I were to see a lack of drive or motivation I might comment… “might be an idea to find out why the applicant is feeling de-motivated at present, as this seems to be an important issue at the present time, and could affect his being a successful candidate.”
Or, if I see the writing portraying a notable lack of innovativeness in a job that requires a high level of creativity, I might comment: “might be important to verify that this candidate can match the creative needs with this role, as it would seem to me that he his forte does not lie here, but in the world of more workaday tasks”
After you have given the first impressions, and discussed the application with the HR Director, it is necessary to go into print and issue your report. Each graphologist will have their own way of doing this, but great care must be taken not to allow this report to stray into the realm of a ‘general’ analysis, i.e. it must confine itself to the working attitudes and potentials of the job as described.
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The writing of a report for recruitment is not an easy business in my view, and again should, in my opinion only, be tackled by those who have a lot of graphological experience. An error made by you, either to a large or a small extent, could have serious consequences for the livelihood of an applicant.
Does the job description require strong people skills on behalf of the writer, or is he or she going to be asked to work in a back-room way, dealing with research or analysis? Is the applicant going to work in a company where a nice atmosphere is the norm, in which case the applicant must be able to ‘fit in’ easily, or is he or she going to work in a more competitive environment, in which case a successful applicant may need strong drives and a thicker skin.
Set out the strengths and weaknesses of the writer in a balanced and non-judgemental way, laying very great emphasis upon the business of the Persona and the Ego, i.e. the writer being inclined to appear one way, but in fact may well be another.
It will be incumbent upon you, at the end of the analysis, to state in your opinion whether or not you would recommend or not recommend the applicant for the role in question.
I am normally diplomatic here: in the event that I do not think the applicant (after full analysis and consideration) is not the right choice, I will say often….”I feel this applicant is not right for this role, and I would suggest that the process of recruitment be continued”. If I am happy with the applicant after a full analysis, I often say….. “I feel that this person’s candidature be treated seriously, and should proceed to the next level”
This is why I believe the using graphology in the field of Recruitment is the most difficult of all the applications of the study, and in my view should only be performed when the graphologist is highly experienced, and able to cope with challenging questions that will arise from your analysis.
(g) What does the graphologist look for in a writing when doing a report for recruitment?
This is a huge question, and I have often thought that if I were called upon to teach how to do recruitment using graphology to a group of students, (thankfully not the case) then I would quite simply state that this would have to represent an entirely new course in the use of graphology. It is a huge field of study all of its own, and frankly I find analyses for recruitment a daunting task every time I do it.
I can therefore only touch upon several main points here as regards what to look for…. This can only be a cursory look.
Hone in on the main structure of the writing, to the exclusion of all else, i.e. no peripheral movements that can be distracting. The main elements of structure I look for are roughly:
Pressure pattern.
Stroke, nature and quality.
Rhythm and Speed
Size and size fluctuations
Layout, complete.
Zones
Slant, left and right tendencies.
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High scores in all of these factors are what is best – in fact some writers do well in some, and not in others: this is of major significance in the outworking of the analysis, and provides a great deal of detailed information to the graphologist.
A predominance of marginal or low scores in any of these major factors will mitigate against a positive interpretation of the writer being happy within him/herself, and less likely to be productive in the outside world.
The hopeful aim is that the writing before you will demonstrate what the French call harmonie, and we would call balance: that is to say that there is a positive equanimity between all of the above factors. Not perfection, because that is impossible, but at least a good degree of complimentary balance that paints a positive picture of the psychological functioning of the writer in question. It will furthermore indicate that the writer is generally productive so far as the use of his/her energies are concerned – a vital factor when considering employment for a certain task.
Any tendency towards discord between these main factors will detract from the desired concept of harmonie or balance, and will lessen the impact of a positive interpretation of the writing before you. The writer by consequence will not enjoy the same level of mental co-ordination which is so important in facing up positively and productively to the challenges of life and work.
In many ways I locate each graphological factor that relates to the writer’s level of energy on the one hand, and then to see how this energy is being used, or focused on the other. This is very closely linked to the quality of motivation, and this is of crucial importance to all prospective employers.
Then a full worksheet evaluation is made, embracing all graphological factors that we use. Following this, a new batch of information about the writer is gained.
I make a comparison between the ‘main structural element of writing’ (above) with all else that appears in the worksheet, and begin to draw my conclusions together. In fact great skill is needed by a graphologist to do this process of drawing factors together into a cohesive whole - and this can only come with lots of experience.
It is of great importance also to give close attention to four special factors when doing analysis for companies with the recruitment process…. I have found across the years that HR Directors need to know above all else about: -
The emotional stability of the applicant
To know just how motivated the writer is likely to be
To know how reliable and dependable they are likely to be.
To know if the writer will focus their energies into their work.
There is, of course, much else they wish to know, and much depends on the individual client, but all of them will expect full chapter and verse on the above.
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Here are some of the graphological factors to be concentrated upon:
1. Pressure and Rhythm / Firm Stroke
A close evaluation of the pressure, i.e. the amount of psychic energy available to the writer, then close examination of the Rhythm informs on whether the writer’s drives are coherent or incoherent. These two evaluations are vital in considering drives, energy and motivation, and must be combined with the presence of a firm Stroke quality.
Excellence with these three factors alone will be a very good indicator. Poor indications for Pressure, Rhythm and Stroke will not indicate good drives, energy and motivation. A large percentage of the appreciation of a writer’s drives comes about as a result of the Pressure, Rhythm and Stroke evaluation alone, and high scores in these three things are the sine qua non of signs of motivation in handwriting. In fact these factors alone, when seen as positives, can weigh heavily on the side of the writer as having strong drives, energy and motivation.
2. Balance of Regularity/ Irregularity.
I then look for indications of focus. Is the writing mainly Regular, and is this Regularity positive or negative? Are the drives being focused? Writings that are Regular or Irregular can be either positive or negative, but usually a pleasant balance between the two is what is best. It is at the extremes, i.e. excessively Regular or excessively Irregular that one starts to be wary, and question whether or not the writer’s energies are being positively focused.
Reliability and dependability can often be seen as a good pattern of Regularity, provided all other indications support this.
3. Zonal balance, including a consistently strong Middle zone
I look to see if there is a focus of sorts between the three zones: the more there is a balance within the zones, the more the writer is likely to be able to focus his or her energies. If there is a huge upper zone, huge lower zone and a small middle zone I will conclude that objective focus is not always being achieved. Ambition may well exceed ability.
Sample 4 - Male aged 29. Team leader and Salesperson Writing shows artificial letter forms, with left slant and many angular forms, and heavy pressure. It is highly disconnected and has slow speed. The writer would unlikely have flexibility and ease of human relations, and could easily be difficult. Not seen to be a positive writing for the task as described.
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Essential to indicate confidence in actions, and a good indicator of emotional stability is a well maintained middle zone. A thready or weak middle zone is not conducive to focus or single-minded achievement. A strong middle zone is utterly essential in looking for confidence in handwriting, and a lack of self-confidence usually leads to excessive self-questioning and self-doubt in the face of challenging situations.
4. Good, clear layout, including a firm and rising Baseline.
An essential indication of the writer’s ability to plan his or her energy resources into what has to be done. A clear and precise layout shows clarity of judgement, whereas an incoherent Layout does not indicate the sort of clear mind that is necessary for translating ideas into action.
If the baseline is tight and rising, and is in combination with positive results for 1-3 above, then I would conclude that the writer shows energy, drive and motivation… A tight baseline with a narrow right margin is a very good indicator that energies are being directed towards goal achievement. A slack or wavering or tiled baseline rarely shows focus upon goal achievement and drive to the tune of 100%
5. Constancy of Slant.
Whether it be a left slant, and upright slant, or a right slant, it is very important here that it is constant and does not waver: it is a prime indicator of showing stability and often focus. A mixed Slant is always an indicator of indecisiveness and uncertainty when faced with the need to make decisions.
6. Strong lower zone.
Those that are motivated are usually people who possess strong drives: these are often indicated by strong, firm pressure, but the role of the lower zone here is often overlooked. Energy and drive emanate from the lower zone, and a writer showing a powerful and strong lower zone will often be able to bring energy into the field of their work – in my experience low energy people do not have the same sort of staying power as those with high energy and drive.
7. Enthusiasm.
The individual graphologist will always have his or her favourite indications of how Enthusiasm is shown in writing: it is however essential to have this factor in addition to those shown above…. The quality of “Enthusiasm” is easy to see in writing, and is often associated with rising lines and a rising signature together with good speed, and good connectedness, bright stroke quality and general liveliness in the writing as a whole.
There is of course a great deal else I would expect to investigate in the writing, but as a start I would like to look at the above features, to see what they have to say. However, there is something else I always add into the mix, and that is in using the enormous help given to us by C.G. Jung in his book “Psychological types”
I have always worked with Jungian Archetypes since they appear so readily in handwriting, and are of enormous help: they are of particular help when it comes to working in the field of graphology and recruitment.
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In reply to this, I always establish the writer’s Jungian type: Is he or she a Thinking/Feeling/Sensory or Intuitive type, and what is the auxiliary function.
The reason for this is as follows: the primary function of a writer always expresses his or her comfort zone, i.e. where they feel most at home. In Thinking the realm of ideas, in Feeling the realm of Emotional life, in Sensory the sense of the real and the commercial, and Intuition, which rejects any agenda in life in favour of seeing what comes along and seizing advantages in the moment (carpe diem).
It is always easy to be motivated when what you are doing falls under the heading of your primary function: so if the work requiring strong motivation falls in line with their primary function, then immediately there is a strong and comfortable advantage.
However, if someone is obliged by circumstance to perform some work that is defined by another function, then motivation will not come so easily…. And the person feels often that they are not cut out for such a job. They will be working outside of their ‘comfort zone’ and will rarely feel comfortable.
The secret about being motivated is that you have to feel a spontaneous enthusiasm for doing such and such… and this nearly always goes with your being at one with your primary Jungian function. It is essential that this is established at the outset.
So… if the life task of the writer is to educate, teach, explain, verbally make clear, enlighten or any sort of brainwork, then I would like to see the Thinking type.
If the task is to relate to people in an emotional, human and interpersonal way or understanding people, that may even encompass dramatic moments, then I would like to see the Feeling type.
If the task is practical, commercial, in business and involves making money or seeing things work, plain and simple, I would look for the Sensory type.
If the task involves marketing, research, buying and selling, looking for new possibilities in business, coming up with new ideas but ignoring practicalities, and a constant sense of looking for new markets, then I would expect to see an Intuitive type.
So, again as a starting consideration when looking at a handwriting for job selection, always bear in mind which Jungian type the person falls under: more importantly still take out time to consider whether their natural aptitudes (their comfort zone) are in line with the what the job will demand….. It is known that people who are obliged to work on their 2nd or auxiliary function are really not quite as happy with their work, but worse happens should an employee be obliged to perform their tasks which are defined by their 3rd or even 4th (undifferentiated) function, then happiness with work is very unlikely.
As stated at the outset, the use of graphology in the field of recruitment, and advising Companies on whether or not they should chose a particular applicant, is a very complex one, and requires a great deal of skill and experience.
However the rewards of having done a good job for a client are always there, and many have been the occasions when, even years afterwards, I have been told by a Company that my advice over an applicant had been ignored at the time, and that as a consequence they were obliged to suffer a serious financial loss in dispensing with their services. This is a good way to keep a client.
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EVIL HANDWRITINGS – ELAINE QUIGLEY
Where there is no harmony in the writing, there is a possibility that all is not well in the way
the writer handles life and those he meets
Here are four examples: ALEISTER CROWLEY
Reputed to be the wickedest man in England during the Thirties; he was a drug addict and a practitioner of the black arts, being a priest of black masses. Two of his wives died insane and he was alleged to have driven several of his mistresses to suicide
Note the unwieldy letter forms and the fractured strokes HAWLEY HARVEY CRIPPEN
Crippen was an American born in Michigan in 1852 who qualified as a doctor and came to England in 1900, but his qualifications didn’t allow him to practice. He was hanged for killing his wife.
Note the uneven baseline and ink flooding in some letter.
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CHARLES MANSON
He was an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in the California desert in the late 1960s
FRANCIS TUMBLETY - LETTER FROM HELL
Almost certainly the man who triggered the fictional character of ‘’Jack the Ripper”.
Tumblety had a very difficult childhood and became aggressive as he grew older, with a huge anger against women. He took this out on them by ripping some victims apart.
Note the uneven letters, fractured baseline and the smudginess of the letters. The long lower one marks his restlessness.
LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA - BY MERYL BOLIN
There are two destinations in Australia for most tourists and residents, they are;-
Ayers Rock (now known as Uluru)
And the Great Barrier Reef.
Well, I have just returned from a big trip to see the famous Rock in the centre of Australia. We went to see one of our daughters in Adelaide which is 2,500km from our home. Our family in Adelaide then took us (Walter and myself) to Uluru and all points around this famous rock. There we met up with another daughter who lives in Western Australia, and has just taken a position with a resort in Kings Canyon, as accommodation director. She has had many years at outback resorts in this capacity. So it was a wonderful family "get-together" in the wide outdoors. The country is vast with lots of saltbush and low trees, marvellous sunrises and sunsets to dazzle all sensations and always hot in the daytime although cold at night. Maybe you would like to look at pictures on the computer of these places, and know that Australia is an extremely large island continent, and worth visiting.
Come on down!
All four of our daughters are very different in their capacities and abilities and it has always been interesting for me to see their writings through the years as development occurred and be able to talk through the pathways that they have followed.
As winter approaches 'down under' we are now going into more study and finding new things and ways to look at life.
Love to all who are doing graphology.
Meryl Bolin Australia [email protected]
NORTHERN GRAPHOLOGISTS’ 8TH SEMINAR
Saturday 18th July 2015
Programme 11.00 Coffee/Tea at Jean’s 12.00 Mary Comber: ‘Death Row writing’ Mary will discuss the handwriting of men and women on Death Row in
America who she writes to regularly. The talk will be illustrated with many interesting handwriting samples.
1.30 Buffet lunch 2.30 John Beck: ‘Outer Appearance and Inner Reality’
John will examine graphologically how a person appears to the public and world at large, as opposed to how they truly are towards family, friends and other intimates. The talk will be based on Carl Jung’s “persona” and “ego” work.
4.00 Coffee/Tea/Close Venue: Jean Elliott’s home for initial hospitality:
10a Northgate, Tickhill, Doncaster DN11 9HY, 01302 742 915 The presentations will be in the Parish Room across the road from Jean’s.
Transport: Transport from/to Doncaster station can be co-ordinated. Cost: £18 includes a delicious lunch and other refreshments. Please make cheques payable to Susan Ord. Contact: Sue Ord, [email protected], 01244 671417 Reservations: For catering purposes, please book in advance and send your money to: Susan Ord, 4 Boxmoor Close, Chester, CH4 7PL
Do join us for what we anticipate will be another very enjoyable day. Places are limited so book early!
