Every week I see leaders fall into this trap. 

Introducing themselves by the years with a company followed by the obligatory job title. It is the virtual equivalent of hanging a shingle on the door. Add to that many titles make sense only to the internal team. While other titles are so nebulous it leaves many wondering what you really do.

When we define ourselves by job titles, it limits the way people see us.

Think about it. If our title is HR but we have years of operations experience, how is our audience supposed to know? If your title is Six Sigma but your specialty is transformation, won't others miss that? Consider the long term implications of such a narrow expression of who you are.

Every day I see a LinkedIn profile where someone has defined themselves ONLY by their job title. I want to shout to the world

“you are MORE than your job title!”

The reality is you are more. SO MUCH MORE.

Defining yourself by your current job title can put your POTENTIAL in a box.

The job you have today is only a snapshot of your career. The movie of your life is still rolling. Why not adopt a more fluid mindset allowing your potential to be highlighted?  There are better ways to express the value you bring to the table. If your job title is not a true sign of your collective experience, make a conscious choice to change.

Just because others around you are doing it does not mean you have to go along. Make a choice to broaden your perspective of yourself. When you do, others will begin to think differently of your leadership brand.  

Here are three easy ways to get started

  1. Make a Choice – The truth is it is no one else’s job to babysit your career. Not HR. Not your boss. Just Y-O-U. If you want others to see you in a different light, you have to see yourself differently first. Once the internal shift happens, the rest begins to fall in place. If you believe your boss puts you in a box, look closer. You might find you have unconsciously contributed to it. Don’t be Joshua. The first step is to climb out of the box and more importantly, stay out.
  2. Broaden Your LinkedIn Title – there is more space in your title line than you think. If you must, list your title but then go the extra step. Add what you want others to remember about you. Do you have a compelling mantra? Is there a passion that drives you? Use this line to express who you really are.
  3. Energize Your Introduction – Reset your default when it comes to your introduction. Use that "minute to win it" instead by sharing a collective snapshot of your experience. Maybe you have been there 23 years. A more interesting way to say that? "I have invested over 46,000 hours of my life into the success of the company." You can easily figure that out by taking 40 hours a week x an average of 50 weeks x 23 years. Maybe you add up the millions of dollars of deals you have managed. What about the number of employee lives you have touched? Perhaps it is the number of customer deals you have won. Find the impact number that spans your career and goes waaaaaay beyond your job title.

The next time a colleague uses only their job title, feel free to have this conversation. Together, let’s shout to the rooftops "you are MORE than your job title!"