We may have reached the silly season on job titles.
I’ve met a 20-year-old who is a “VP of Optimization” of a 3-person company with no revenue. I’ve met a “Jr. Logistics Manager” who oversees 420 employees with a $580 million budget. One man introduced himself as “Chief Culture Inspirer” during a plane flight, and all I could muster was, “Huh? What’s that?”
Mature leadership tip: Don’t get hung up on the titles of others, or fixated on yours. Title has no bearing on your identity.
There is no significant correlation between titles and roles in many organizations, especially large companies undergoing a lot of changes. Titles can change fast. More typically, title changes don’t keep up with role changes.
Focus on the enduring strengths that you have, and how those strengths support your role(s). Are you analytical, or particularly good at strategic insights in a changing market? Do you read people well and have an ability to get teams moving in a coherent direction? Are you exceptionally persistent in working on technical challenges? Are you the person who keeps coolest under sudden, expected pressures? Do you have an internal fountain of creative words and metaphors? Do you thrive on pulling together reams of detail? Are you the quiet behind-the-scenes person who knows how to make others be their best?
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