Determined character hides an inner battle
By Emma Bache
In the latest in an occasional series our resident graphologist delivers her verdict on Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP.
Life and career of Sir Martin Sorrell
Sir Martin Sorrell, 58, was educated at Cambridge and has an MBA from Harvard.
He was finance director of Saatchi & Saatchi from 1977 to 1986, when he bought a shell company, Wire & Plastic Products, and embarked on an acquisitions spree. He paid over the odds for two advertising agencies, J Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather, leaving WPP burdened with debt just as the UK slid into the recession of the early 1990s. WPP scraped through and grew to include names such as Hill and Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller.
Sir Martin, a workaholic and cricket fanatic, is one of the UK’s best-remunerated executives. Married with three children, he divides his time between London and New York. He was knighted in 1999 for services to the communications industry.
THIS sample of handwriting, although short, is more than adequate to reveal the personality of this determined and ambitious character. There is relatively good balance between the zones and clear spacing. There is immense drive and initiative behind this individual who suggests an ability to express directly and emphatically in the workplace.
The person is self-reliant in all areas of life and the extreme connection of letters implies an ability to concentrate and plan in a forward thinking manner. There is no doubt that work is where the writer feels happiest and most in control. The arcade formation of the writing points to a traditional way of thinking and a need to be seen to toe the establishment line.
Privately, however, this writer is far more of a rebel and is able to draw upon rather more eccentric thought processes to make an impact. The writer is often unaware of the impression being made on the outside world and even has a tendency to underestimate personal ability, depending far more on sheer will power and enthusiasm than arrogant preconceptions.
There is quite considerable fluctuation in middle-zone letter size and the writer, despite the choice of writing paper, still creates a rather erratic baseline. Moodiness and inconsistency of responses can make the person challenging to get along with despite best efforts at adaptability. This is created by strong tension and anxiety which, although a part of day-to-day experience, appears to be quite extreme at this point in the individual’s life.
However, it should be noted that writing on an uneven surface or standing up can create a jerky or tremulous stroke. Even so, the slant is quite inconsistent which suggests the irregularities are not entirely accidental or environmental. The writer is not over-demonstrative emotionally but will react to outside stimuli in a nervous and at times capricious manner.
The flat arcaded connecting strokes suggest willpower but also stubbornness. The writer would avoid an open display of aggression or conflict, however tactless this may sometimes appear to others.
One of the most important factors of this handwriting is the extremely heavy pressure in all three zones. Once again, this can be a sign of tension and anxiety but also high energy levels and an excitable nature. There is much tenacity of purpose but with such obvious expulsion of energy there lies a danger of the writer becoming worn out and succumbing to depression or, at the very least, extreme irritability.
There is an inner battle between a reluctance to face the possibility of failure from a new venture and the positive drive to success. The heavy “t” bars and long strokes suggest that energy is displayed in a bold and charismatic manner. The writer can get quite carried away with the project or matter in hand and would expect colleagues to react with equal enthusiasm.
With balanced spacing it is clear that there is some flexibility and ease in social situations but heavy pressure in the lower zone and occasional triangular formations also indicate judgmental tendencies. The writer has a tendency to misdirect negative feelings from the past on to others owing to personal inner worries. This trait is at odds with a more romantic nature and need for security, both materialistically and domestically.
The writer can feel pulled in all directions and certainly between a visionary determination and a fear of the intangible. This strong and vibrant character is one that is currently influenced strongly by external stresses. Shrewd though this writer is, there is still a charming unawareness of the full impact being made by the person on the world around.