Have you ever wondered if you've got what it takes to get to the top in business? Forget trying to work your way up the ladder - just draw an 'E' on your forehead.

American professors Adam Galinsky and Maurice Schweitzer have devised the five-second 'E' trick, which they believe separates those who are boss material from those who aren't.

The experiment involves participants tracing the capital letter 'E' on their forehead. Those who write it so it makes sense to themselves are said to be self-orientated - a trait common in powerful figures.

American professors Adam Galinsky and Maurice Schweitzer have devised the 'E' trick, which they believe separates those who are boss material from those who aren't (Picture posed by models)

Galinsky and Schweitzer, who both attended and lecture at prestigious business schools in the US, have published their findings in new business book, Friend & Foe: When To Cooperate, When To Compete, And How To Succeed At Both.

To conduct the easy test, participants should trace the capital letter 'E' on their foreheads, using their finger, without thinking about it.

There are two options: the letter can be written so it makes sense only to themselves (but reversed for onlookers), or so it would appear the right way around to others.

The tendency to write an 'E-to-self' is said to dramatically increase the more senior role held in the workplace.

The experiment involves participants tracing the capital letter 'E' on their forehead. Those who write it so it makes sense to themselves are said to be self-orientated - a trait common in powerful figures (file photo)

Schweitzer, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the trick has captured people's attention because it is 'quite dramatic'.

In order to prove that the test works, he tried it out on the publishing team at Random House while pitching the idea of his new business book. The results supported his claims.

He told The Times: 'It happened to work perfectly. The senior editors were the ones who were self-focused.'

According to the research, their is a gender imbalance in results with women much more likely to 'E-to-others'.

This shows they are more likely to take into account other people's perspectives.

However, according to the authors, this is because women generally have 'less power', and that if they were given the same amount of power, the gender differences would be erased.

'If women ruled the world it would look a lot like it does today,' said Schweitzer.

In another test the authors also randomly assigned a group of people the role of boss or employee.

They then gave them the chance to buy chocolates for themselves or others.

The bosses became the Scrooge, buying an average of 32 chocolates for themselves and only 11 for others.

Lowly employees were far more generous, with the ratios reversed.

In conclusion, to succeed in business you need to sharpen your claws and not be a likeable pushover.

However social psychologist Galinsky says that while the powerful must be more decisive 'the single biggest mistake I see leaders make is this idea that considering other people's perspectives is a sign of weakness'.

He added that this is 'simply not true' and 'is a sign of strength' as senior people can exert authority, but also consider other's feelings.