"Spread the word. Bill Wiersma
has written a killer sequel to
The Power of Professionalism."
The Power of Identity
The Key to Personal and Professional Change
Want Dramatic Change?
The Power of Identity is a book about changed lives.
Change is hard, but identity makes it easier as it has such a dramatic impact on choice and behavior. Learn why identity is the X Factor in any change effort.
The Power of Identity explains how:
– A division of one multinational company—in 24 months—went from “worst-to-first.”
– The Air Force decreased its pilot-in-training washout rates by 84 percent.
– A type A millennial realized her skewed sense of self had failed her and at long last felt whole after clarifying her identity.
– A prominent vocational school developed a rare blue ocean strategy.
– A white-collar professional negotiated a bump in salary of over $70,000 after an identity refresh.
The Real Magic of IDENTITY Lies in Its Unique Ability to Ignite One’s Value System in an Extremely Personal Way
Table of Contents
- Chapter 1 Identity: A First-Order Mover Of Behavior
- Chapter 2 Identity: What It Is, What It Isn’t
- Chapter 3 Keystone Identities: The Key To Transformation
- Chapter 4 Who Am I—Really?
- Chapter 5 Implications For Individuals
- Chapter 6 Implications For Organizations And Families
- Chapter 7 Breaking The Scourge Of Shame
- Chapter 8 Becoming A Better Person
Can’t Wait To Read The Power of Identity?
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“Identity—both as it’s defined for oneself as well as how it’s projected to others—has never been more important than in the era of social media. An extremely timely book that everyone should read.”
“While I absolutely love The Power of Professionalism, The Power of Identity is an even more powerful book—providing the ultimate blueprint for one’s personal growth. This book—so astute, so helpful, so honest—hit a nerve with me as I’m certain it will for others. If a book can be consequential, this one absolutely is.”
“A powerful, life-changing book. Bill Wiersma has done a superb job of creating simplicity out of the complex. If we humans were issued an owner’s manual, The Power of Identity would comprise section one. Read it. Absorb it. Revel in it.”
Struggling inner-city kids. Dismayed girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Disillusioned business veterans. What do these seemingly unrelated groups of people have in common? Each had the arc of their life dramatically altered for the better—the by-product of a newfound sense of self. Each had developed a more robust identity.
It changed them in ways that few could have imagined. It did wonders for their outlook and resiliency. Despite their formidable challenges, they blossomed. Identity, with its unique ability to reveal our better angels, breeds confidence—sufficient to fuel desirable change. The Power of Identity is a book about changed lives. Who better than Bill Wiersma to take an especially important, yet somewhat nebulous, topic like identity and bring it to life in such a powerful way. As he demonstrated in his groundbreaking book The Power of Professionalism, Wiersma has an uncanny knack of recognizing and unpacking emerging topics that matter most.
The Power of Identity, with its distinctive yellow umbrella icon, takes the central principle (identity) from The Power of Professionalism and deepens its application to individuals and organizations alike, demonstrating how identity is a powerful agent of change in every aspect of a person’s life.
Whether the nature of this change is tactical (an individual seeking a raise) or strategic (an organization changing their culture), identity is at the root of these breakthroughs. Change is hard, but identity makes it easier. Identity also helps mitigate certain undesirable traits of human nature, including one especially troubling childhood trait that sabotages adult development.
When it comes to higher-order development—the type that is both impactful and sustainable—identity is essential as it has such a dramatic impact on choice and behavior. But identity’s real magic lies in its unique ability to ignite one’s value system in a very personal way. Identity is the undefinable something—the “X Factor”—that deserves to be the central organizing principle in any change effort. If you get this identity thing right, a lot of other things naturally take care of themselves. This is why identity-based development is an idea whose time has come. Just as The Power of Professionalism became the generational standard in its space, The Power of Identity promises to do the same for identity.
ENDORSEMENTS
“At Sunsweet our culture has been greatly enhanced, a by-product of unleashing the principles advanced in The Power of Professionalism. Wiersma’s new book, The Power of Identity, is an absolute delight, a remarkable sequel to The Power of Professionalism. Powerful stuff! This is a book whose core and supporting concepts will immediately resonate with our people. What I love about Bill’s approach is his ability to distill, simplify, and bring to life compelling concepts in a truly practical way. It’s an exciting prospect—yet another uptick in the growth of our people—and our culture.”
“Life’s most important decisions—ones that are vital to living a joyful, meaningful life—are identity-based. Whether on or off the job, this compelling book demonstrates how to harness identity’s muscle. The result? Changed lives! Wiersma has done it again—written a jewel of a book we never realized we needed.”
“Countless authors have scratched the surface on the topic of identity, but no one has written a comprehensive book on what it is and how to apply it, much less one that leverages its mystical qualities. And yet The Power of Identity isn’t an academic treatise but rather a practical user’s guide for anyone who’s interested in bettering themselves as well as others in their care. In this book, Wiersma elevates identity from being merely a psychological construct to its inherently higher-order purpose, namely, how to reveal our better selves.”
“This is a powerful book. The Power of Identity not only demonstrates how to reshape undesired behavior but how to reshape the person exhibiting it—which may be us. When it comes to developing people the emphasis on identity as a catalyst for change—an approach that has largely been overlooked—is compelling and surprisingly unique. There is great wisdom and deep insights contained within these pages. I found myself thinking about the book’s concepts long after I finished reading.”
“Changing behavior in organizations is one of the most difficult challenges facing today’s executives. This ground-breaking book provides leaders with a compelling (and disruptive) way of approaching organizational development. As this book demonstrates so clearly—identity makes behavior change easier. That’s great news for executives when everything else in their professional world has gotten increasingly more difficult.”
“Our identity is too important to be left to happenstance or chance. It’s something special that needs to be formulated and harnessed in charting a better future. I know this firsthand having witnessed a group of reinvigorated professionals at Otis Elevator transform their cellar-dwelling region from ‘worst to first’ in a short twenty-four months—the story is told in chapter three. Our experience, consistent with so many others in this book, reinforces the need to understand and channel identity’s power amongst leaders, mentors, parents—really anyone interested in bringing about meaningful change.”
“The Power of Identity is a deeply profound, intensely captivating, and genuinely inspiring work. Bill Wiersma persuasively makes the case that understanding who you are is the prerequisite to meaning, purpose, and direction to your life. The Power of Identity provides the guidance and the tools that cut through the noise and distractions of everyday life and enable you to listen, to reflect, and to decide who you are and what you want from your life and work. That’s an outcome that few books can claim, but this one can. Read it, put it to use, and tell your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.”
“In a world where shifting sands can prove disorienting, how secure are you in your sense of self? This all-important question shapes personal, leadership, and organization behavior. Bill does an exceptional job in helping the reader answer this question through the lens of identity. He offers profound insights, compelling stories, and actionable tips on claiming our identity. Marvelous topic, marvelous book!”
“Results are a key driver for any leader assessing change initiatives. Today, having insight into what can positively impact change is critical. Identity-based development, an approach that Bill advances in this book, is a resource for breakthroughs in organizations of any size. He shares real-world examples of impressive results realized with identity-based development. If culture, change, and tapping into the power of your people is important to you, please read this book.”
“Wow! The Power of Identity was such a treat. It’s a deep dive by a celebrated author on a topic that, unfortunately, has been largely overlooked. Beginning this book, I was intrigued. By the end, I was captivated—having a newfound appreciation of identity as a vital and remarkably powerful agent of change. Make no mistake, this book is meaty—it’s a difference-maker. Be prepared to be challenged, be prepared to grow.”
“Powerful! This enlightening book will be a treasure for many—enabling them to discover an even better version of themselves. Packed with inspiring and insightful examples, The Power of Identity is a terrific read that promises to help readers to grow more, achieve more, and be more."
“The Power of Identity provides a blueprint for becoming a mission-focused, values-based leader of the future, a leader of change.”
“I love this book—it’s a masterpiece. It’s one of those special books that will drain your highlighter’s reservoir. It will also be a book that you’ll want to share with those that you care deeply about—especially those who could use some encouragement, those who would benefit from a healthier point-of-view, those who are trying to find themselves.”
“As a professor and consultant I work to help people transform their lives to realize their potential; and I find that they lack of clear potential identities, that is, the confidence that they can become something greater and different than they are is the primary stumbling block to change. The Power of Identity provides a powerful set of tools and models to enable personal and professional transformation to enable each of us on our journey to becoming and achieving our true potential. “
“As an educator, The Power of Identity really resonated with me. The topic couldn’t be more important—it tandems perfectly with my work in Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Properly applied, the principles in this book are a powerful blueprint for change—impacting both students and their environment. The learning is deep, the prospects are exciting indeed!”
ABOUT
BILL WIERSMA is the founder and principal of Wiersma and Associates, a management consulting firm marketed under the brand Better Professionals, which services Fortune 500 companies and the professional services sector. He is a trusted advisor to executive leadership on senior team development and organizational culture.
Wiersma is a renowned thought leader. His book The Power of Professionalism has become the definitive source on what it actually means to be a professional and significantly changed the way in which professionals view themselves.
He previously held executive responsibilities as a director at a Fortune 200 company and as a board member and president of a privately held technology company focused on emerging markets. Bill and his wife, Holly, are the parents of four children and reside in Pleasant Hill, California.