~35 to ~55 is a weird age-range. You just can't tell the age with much accuracy by looking at the person. You may still find out the true age, but what you see is what generally matters, especially at sub-conscious levels, in how you treat and respond to the person. Fitter people look younger, but can't generalize. Being fit seems to matter a lot in generating the right impressions. Height can distort perceptions, despite fitness levels. Gray hair gives an impression of wisdom, but such impressions are often misleading too. Command at language, especially English, can be mesmerizing. Energy levels may not correlate with age and can generate a "wow" depending on how old you think the person is. It seems to me, though, that for leadership positions, if one is in the 30s, it's beneficial if he/she looks like and talks like he/she is in 40s, yet is fit and energetic - like Zohran Mandani. For someone in 50s, it would again be better to look like he/she is in late 40s - as that would reflect energy, wisdom and longer runway all at the same time, albeit the real age - like Shashi Tharoor was for a long time. Obama, interestingly, looked 40s, was in 40s, and behaved 40s throughout his tenure as president. True age, probably, is indeed just a number. But for leaders, there seems to be an optimal age as perceived, which may be different from the true age, and which is a function of a lot of things.
These are just my thoughts, of course, from my 'generative' intelligence on a Tuesday evening, as I struggle to make my daughter study for her test tomorrow. Not sure how I appear to her. Will know some day... or may be not🤪.
Share your thoughts.
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