What’s in a Name?
Job titles may or may not influence whether someone takes a job or stays with a company. According to a late 2006 study by Korn/Ferry, 85 percent of employees surveyed said that a bigger job title wouldn’t entice them to keep a job. So titles, it seems, aren’t an effective retention tool.
But what about as a motivator? If your job title is Chief Customer Experience Officer are you more likely to drive the creation of compelling customer experiences in your organization than a counterpart with a simple Marketing Director title?
The well-publicized Korn/Ferry study cited such titles as Director of First Impressions, a replacement for Receptionist. Other titles that might inspire action: Director of Wow Projects, Net Marketing Imagineer, Director of Culture, Research Evangelist, Outdoor Recreation Adventure Leader, Process Change Manager, Creative Warrior, Chief Realization Officer.
Do you think that creative or unusual title makes a difference in either job performance or customer perception? What is the most unusual title you’ve come across?
I can only speak to my experience but I have never worked with an un-motivated person who became motivated with a title. I think titles are both internal and external indicators about who has both responsibility and accountability. That is why many jobs will require experience "selling at the C level" and business educators encourage talking to the decision maker. Typically, people get a (lofty) title because they have a history of being self motivated, responsible, accountable etc. not the other way around. Of course we know of some recent C level execs that were not responsible nor accountable but I think those are the exception.
If the titles are supposed to foster motivation, then any title may work; however, if motivation is accompanied with some modicum of self-respect, a farcical title may not be the best motivator
In general, I think titles do say a lot about the organization and culture of the business. However, I am not sure if the title alone is going be a significant influencer on either perception or performance.
Back in the dotcom days, a new hire on my team negotiated (and got) the title of "IT Drone". Needless to say, our "chief talent officer" was not very happy.