What’s in a name?

‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’

- William Shakespeare

Let’s talk about job titles! How many of us have chased a particular job title, becoming focused on achieving that addition of ‘Manager’, ‘Vice President’, ‘Leader’ or ‘Executive’ to our door or email signature? To a large extent we’ve been conditioned to do this from our early days at school, when we aimed to be appointed Prefect or Sports Captain, and our first jobs in retail or hospitality, when our greatest goal was to be named Shift Manager or moved from the fryer to the register. From our youngest days, we learn that titles come with cachet and a sense of accomplishment.

Now, we are not suggesting that titles don’t matter, because of course they can and often do. With that title bump often comes a rise in salary, increased responsibility and more opportunities. It can also get you a seat at the table, giving you the chance to have your voice heard. However, focusing solely on a title and putting your energy towards only that goal may not be the best use of your time and, in fact, can even be counterproductive.

And, really, what is in a name? In many cases, it’s not a lot. Think of some of the job titles that have appeared over the last five to ten years. Let’s be honest – who actually knows what a Second Tier Totalist is or what an Initiative Officer does? And this doesn’t even touch on those colleagues you may know who have achieved those much admired titles of Manager, Leader and Executive. Do you respect that person any more than others in your team who don’t have an equivalent title? Not necessarily. Depending on how good they are at their job, you might even respect them less!

Yes, titles do matter but they should not be the sole focus of your goals. Here are three things we think you’re better off spending your time on than title hunting!

BEHAVIOUR

Behave like a leader, treat others with respect and be an ambassador for your organisation. Paying attention to how you behave and how you lead, whether or not there is an impressive title attached to your name, is a genuinely productive use of your time. And being a leader before you have a title to match is a great way to bring yourself to the attention of those higher up the food chain.

RESPECT

This should go both ways: you should definitely show respect for those around you but you should also aim to earn the respect of your team, as well as of the leaders and the executives in your organisation. Your behaviour, the way you treat people, the work you do, your work ethic and your support for your colleagues are all integral to earning respect. Being held in high esteem by colleagues and managers is the first step towards gaining a title that acknowledges your excellent professional and personal qualities.

RECOGNITION

Recognition can come in many forms, and a title bump is certainly one of them. However, it isn’t the only form of recognition that counts. New responsibilities, awards, rewards and even being singled out by a leader or manager for praise are all important forms of acknowledgement that show you’re adding value to an organisation.

Yes, titles can matter but they are less important than the qualities and behaviour that often lead to them being bestowed. Focusing your energies on working hard and leading by example is much more productive than focusing on status and far more likely to earn you genuine respect. And in doing so you might just earn that title bump anyway!