I Hate Job Titles

I am not a big fan of job titles. We have had some staff additions and changes in the last couple of months and one of the most frequent questions has been “What’s their new title?” Frankly I do not care! I am fine with people picking their own title and would rather spend my time concentrating on the work we need to get done.

I suppose my dislike of titles has to do with one of my philosophies of work. I think when an organization has a vision, operates as a team, and strategically sets out to accomplish it, that everyone’s job on the team is to see that the vision is accomplished, regardless of a person’s title.

Titles to me are too specific. They seem to indicate a defined area of focus. I realize some people need that for clarity and I understand the need for specialization around an area of work or skill sets, but I prefer a job description to a title. I like for a person to understand the goals and objectives for the position, and even more than that, the overall vision of the organization and for them to realize how they are a key part of the organization’s success. That is hard to capture in a specific job title. Job titles tend to lead to the phrase and thought, “That’s not my job.”

I realize job titles are cultural, so we will keep using them, but I do not have to like something just because everyone else is doing it. I almost wish we could start calling everyone “Team Player” and if they need a big title to feel good or to dress up a business card, maybe we could title them “Director of What’s Required”.

Do you like job titles? Does your title truly capture the entire role you play in your organization?

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