Biology and leadership: Discovering why some people may be born leaders

What do George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy all have in common? More than having been president, they may all have been biologically more likely to have leadership ability.

Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist at the Kinsey Institute and chief scientific advisor to Match.com, said about half of leadership ability stems directly from individual biology and temperament. Her research will be presented October 8 at an event hosted by Grand Valley State University's Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies and the Koeze Business Ethics Initiative.

Fisher's research, based on questionnaires of 10 million people in 40 countries and her expertise in genetics and neurochemistry, has identified four essential styles of leadership and how they differ.

Fisher will discuss these four styles, and include details on how to spot each kind of leader, whether men and women are "soft-wired" to have different leadership styles, and whether some leaders are better at helping find common ground.

The Biology of Leadership with Helen Fisher

October 8, at 7 p.m.

Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center Building A

Grand Valley State University Pew Grand Rapids Campus

401 W. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids

This event is free and open to the public