Identity Is Destiny

About the Author

Laurence D. Ackerman is a senior vice-president at Siegel & Gale, an international strategic brand management consulting firm. He is an expert in corporate identity and has written extensively on the topic in various journals such as Across the Board, The Journal of Business Strategy, and the American Management Association's Management Review. Ackerman's book, "Identity is Destiny," delves into the essence of corporate identity and its role in value creation, offering profound insights into how organizations can harness their unique traits to generate lasting value.

Main Idea

The main idea of "Identity is Destiny" is that the true strength of an organization lies in its identity – the unique traits and actions that define it. Ackerman asserts that an organization's ability to leverage its identity into creating valuable products and services leads to a cycle of value creation. This cycle, governed by what Ackerman terms the Laws of Identity, ensures that identity drives value, which in turn generates wealth, reinforcing the organization's identity and perpetuating growth and success.

Table of Contents

1. The Identity Credo and Laws of Identity
2. The Law of Being
3. The Law of Individuality
4. The Law of Constancy
5. The Law of Will
6. The Law of Possibility
7. The Law of Relationship
8. The Law of Comprehension
9. The Law of the Cycle
10. In Conclusion...
11. Managing by New Criteria

The Identity Credo and Laws of Identity

Ackerman begins by introducing the Identity Credo, which reflects the fundamental beliefs about identity that apply to both individuals and organizations. This credo is supported by the Laws of Identity, which offer a framework for understanding how identity influences behavior and outcomes. These laws are:

• The Law of Being
• The Law of Individuality
• The Law of Constancy
• The Law of Will
• The Law of Possibility
• The Law of Relationship
• The Law of Comprehension
• The Law of the Cycle

Each law serves as a guiding principle for leveraging identity to create value and achieve sustainable success.

The Law of Being

This law states that any organization composed of human beings is alive, exhibiting distinct physical, mental, and emotional capacities. The Law of Being emphasizes the need for organizations to understand their unique capabilities and strengths, independent of external influences.

"The life of a company can be described in ways that illuminate its value on multiple levels." – Laurence D. Ackerman

Ackerman explains that organizations must recognize their own value on human, business, societal, and economic levels. Leaders should liberate their company's identity and allow it to drive value creation across these dimensions.

• Human Value: Reflects the collective skills and expertise of the organization's people.
• Business Value: Involves unique contributions to the marketplace through products and services.
• Societal Value: Represents the social impact of the organization.
• Economic Value: Combines the effects of human, business, and societal value to assess financial worth.

The Law of Individuality

According to this law, an organization's human capacities fuse into a discernible identity that makes it unique. Leaders must uncover and celebrate the unique characteristics of their organization to create sustainable differentiation.