Words matter when it comes to leadership, and a recent study by Preply reveals that some CEOs use language to communicate their intelligence in a more effective way than others. According to a new ranking, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang leads the pack as America’s smartest CEO, based on linguistic analysis of how top executives speak.
Huang, with a score of 81.3 out of 100, topped a list that included influential leaders from companies like Lockheed Martin and DeepMind. The study examined over 2.25 hours of speeches and interviews from 126 U.S. CEOs, assessing their communication skills, cognitive thinking, and ability to articulate complex ideas.
This linguistic analysis found that executives with more sophisticated sentence structures tend to perform better in high-pressure decision-making environments. Huang’s leadership at NVIDIA, especially in the AI and graphics fields, is known for both technical depth and clear communication — an essential trait for guiding one of the most innovative companies in the world.
Close behind Huang are Jim Taiclet from Lockheed Martin and Demis Hassabis of DeepMind, with scores of 80.9 and 80.8, respectively. Other notable CEOs in the top 15 include Reed Hastings of Netflix and Sam Altman of OpenAI. These leaders not only excel in their industries but also in their ability to break down complex ideas for both their teams and the public.
Preply’s ranking is based on several key traits, such as creativity, memory, logical reasoning, and verbal ability. The study, which used the latest research in cognitive psychology, reveals that CEOs who can effectively communicate abstract concepts are better equipped to tackle the uncertainties of modern business.
This ranking highlights the growing importance of communication as a key leadership trait in the 21st century. It suggests that the smartest leaders are those who can simplify complexity, think critically, and express their vision clearly.
For a deeper look at the full rankings and methodology, you can explore the original report by Visual Capitalist here:
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As the business world evolves, it’s clear that intellectual clarity — not just technical knowledge — plays a pivotal role in leadership success.