The Executive Asset: Why Your Identity is Your Only Appreciating Currency

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to have a plan and know where they are going? They have their lives figured out—most likely except for one or two minor details. Is there something different between these people who design the lives they desire and others who seem to be “aimlessly drifting” through without direction or purpose?

I believe the answer lies in focusing on your goals and looking at your dreams, hopes, and plans for the next five years. To move from being an Executive Cost (a replaceable line item) to an Executive Asset (an indispensable leader), you must change your trajectory, even if it’s only step by step.

The Schooler Model: A Legacy of Strategic Focus

Before we even look at branding, we must look at the plan. This process was utilized by my father, Professor Jerome P Schooler, who used this exact framework with 2500+ postgraduate executives over a 17-year teaching career. After leaving the Air Force and lecturing at MIT—where he received the George B. Morgan Award—he became one of Britain’s leading business experts.