Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:00a.m.
What does your handwriting say about you? According to graphologist Malcolm McLeod, it says everything.
He started life as a policeman, then worked as a counsellor in an Australian jail, which is where his interest in the science of handwriting analysis began.
McLeod now works on the corporate speaking circuit, helping with team building, leadership development and sharing personal secrets.
"Body language is good, but handwriting is the ultimate body language - it's frozen body language," he says. "It tells a story about you about your life, your strengths, your weaknesses."
To analyse accurately, McLeod would usually study a few pages written over weeks, because influences impact on writing and lives are constantly changing.
"Everybody is unique," he says. "Once you look at handwriting you see it's very unique. In a lot of criminals' handwriting there's no specifics, but the bottom zone - where you do your Ys and your Gs - that's the sex, greed and relationships. Sometimes they might have some bizarre distortions down there instead of the clean loop - might suggest they have some interesting ideas about intimate interactions."
Profiling using handwriting is common. Many companies in Europe won't hire people unless they've seen a hand-written application.
McLeod studied criminals in Long Bay jail, but he admits his real reason for studying graphology is very shallow.
"I got into 30 years ago - I thought it was a great way to chat up girls because there are certain traits and characteristics in a lady's handwriting that would suggest they're prime targets for a bit of interaction."
McLeod says the interesting thing is, if you adjust your writing, you can change who you are.
"The key thing is I believe you can change and strengthen traits in your personality by changing sections of your handwriting, especially your signature - because every time you do it it's like a conscious affirmation - this is me, this is who I am."
From now on get everything in writing - you might learn something.