Titles can be elevating. They can give us a sense of worth and status. They can make us feel good when people ask what we do and we say, “I’m the ___ at ___."

Titles can be constraining. They can be less than what we think we deserve and inaccurate in depicting our full value. We may not want to use it when people ask what we do.

Titles carry a lot of weight in certain crowds. They can prompt more focus and interest from the listener, who suddenly thinks we’re way more interesting now that we’ve said a few words that qualifies our value.

Titles don’t mean a thing in other crowds, where people couldn’t give two shits whether we’re a dishwasher or a Head of blah blah blah. They want to know what we’re about and what we’re into.

Titles can be a quick way to evaluate success and how well we’re doing in life. Our parents may tell their friends about their kid's great job as the ___ at ___, even though they have no idea what we do. Meanwhile, we dream about quitting everyday.

Titles can lead people to think we’re not doing as well as they think we should based on a standard that doesn’t actually matter. “Didn’t she go to ___ school? I thought she’d be ___ by now.” Yet we’re the healthiest we’ve ever been, living the best life we ever have, and are the most fulfilled humans out there.

Titles are meant to serve as short descriptions of responsibility and seniority. They’re meant to be useful in identifying career paths, skillsets, and progression. They're rewards for a job well done.

But they’re also often intertwined with our identity. It starts to be an easy way to introduce ourselves to people. The headline on LinkedIn, the bios on IG or Medium, the nametags at events, etc. We start to rely on them as identifiers and are at risk of feeling lost without them.

But there are many moments when we lose them… layoffs, transitions, retirements, taking a break, entrepreneurship, maternity/paternity, etc. Or we take on new titles or old ones evolve.

So, who are we with and without them? What defines us if not our title?  What do we do for ourselves, our customers, the causes that matter to us, the world?

The clearer those answers are, the easier it’ll be to face all the social and societal pressure that will constantly challenge what we believe. 

Managers, recruiters, teachers, friends, family may all mean well, but they’re not responsible for what we do with the time we have and they don’t have to face the reckoning in those silent moments when it’s just us, our inner voice, and the life we’ve lived.

My titles have been brand strategist, account director, strategic planning director, managing director. Depending on the conversation I now use career strategy coach, executive coach, consultant.

But the value I provide is clarity and direction. On careers. On businesses. On brands. On lives.

No matter the titles we're assigned, it's our responsibility to be clear on the value we create. To know it to the core. Live it fully. Remind ourselves regularly. And be skeptical of anything that makes us doubt our clarity.

As we gain new experiences, factor it into our growth. Evolve our value as needed. Reaffirm our conviction. And repeat.

🙏,

Pam