Kids With This Characteristic Are More Likely to Become Future Leaders

By Shana Lebowitz

The idea that you could talk to a bunch of cootie-fearing, nose-picking 10-year-olds and determine which one will someday become a high-powered business exec might seem ridiculous.

But a new study suggests it's possible. According to researchers at Stirling University in the UK and University College Dublin, high cognitive ability in children strongly predicts leadership potential in adulthood.

The researchers looked at two sets of data collected from nearly 17,000 people over several decades. At age 10 or 11, participants took cognitive tests that measured their verbal skills, reasoning, and general cognitive abilities. Throughout their 30s and 40s, they were also asked questions about their leadership activity at work, such as whether they supervised any employees and, if so, how many.