In a surprising discovery, psychologists have found that people lacking body symmetry make the most effective leaders.
Usually, symmetry - having a body with matching left and right sides - is seen as a hallmark of beauty, fitness and strength.
People might be expected to look up to and follow symmetrical, attractive individuals.
But it appears the most successful leaders in politics and business may be those born with irregular features.
Having "unlucky" looks in terms of symmetry forces people to develop the social skills that can motivate and inspire others, the researchers believe.
Sir Winston's crumpled "bulldog" features were far from balanced, yet he rallied the nation behind him to take on the might of Nazi Germany.
Study leader Dr Carl Senior said: "Winston Churchill was a great leader, and I would assume he was fairly asymmetrical.
And now — thanks perhaps to a well-timed reference to Winston Churchill — Twitter is permitted inside the House of Commons building. But to invoke Churchill in this cause seems a bit much to me.
It would be one thing if Twitter were indeed used for pithy, Churchillian statements. "We shall tweet them on the beaches, we shall tweet them on the landing grounds" –
But it so seldom is. Look how our members of Congress use it. Anthony Weiner sent images of his privates. Perhaps there was a Churchillian precedent for this, too. A younger member once observed that the great man's fly was open. Don't worry, Churchill said, fixing him with a stare. "Dead birds do not fall out of nests."
Senator Chuck Grassley tweets things like “# volleyballuni 25 bradley 22 1st set. Bradley doing bettr than record wld indicate!”And he’s one of the good ones!
Besides, not that I presume to be a Churchill whisperer, but he could be invoked in support of almost anything.
Remember that time Franklin Roosevelt surprised him in the bathtub at the White House? Churchill beckoned him in: "The Prime Minister of Great Britain has nothing to hide from the President of the United States," he said, or words to that effect.
The researchers believe those who have "unlucky" looks in terms of symmetry forces them to develop the social skills that can motivate and inspire others.
Sir Winston's crumpled "bulldog" features were far from balanced, yet he rallied the nation behind him to confront Nazi Germany.
Study leader Dr Carl Senior said, "Winston Churchill was a great leader, and I would assume he was fairly asymmetrical,” the Press Association reports.
"It may be people who are asymmetrical have to work harder and this compensatory socialisation manifests itself in organisational ability and leadership qualities,” he said.
Dr Senior carried out two studies at Aston University in Birmingham, both of which involved assessing the physical symmetry of students.
All about Winston Churchill:
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