The Problem with Job Titles (And How to Fix It)

Promote a culture of abundance, not scarcity

Promote a culture of abundance, not scarcity.

Titles encourage competition to make it to the top rather than doing great work.

“It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.”

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A title is not a superpower.

Getting promoted won’t turn you into a superhero. A new title won’t increase your ability to create impact.

Executives that are lousy managers won’t get better just because they are promoted. Those who are afraid to speak up, won’t become more courageous by having a bigger title.

The ability to drive change is not directly correlated to a title.

However, we let a job title define our identity, self-esteem, status, and more. That’s why most people hold on to titles: they want their fair share of recognition.

The problem with titles is that we’ve turned them into currency. Instead of facilitating work they have become a bargaining chip.

The way most organizations use titles is painful; it creates toxicity rather than clarity.

The Paradox of Scarcity

“Titles disti…