I don’t care much for titles because they’re often about ego and pecking order. Here’s how to tell if a key person is not really leading, but just relying on their title:
- People won’t follow them outside of the confines of their job description: Direct reports follow only because they’re forced to.
- They need you to step in and ‘support’ their position with their team: They don’t yet have the respect to get things done on their own.
- In a volunteer leadership position, they get demolished: When people have a choice as to who they follow, you find out who the real leaders are!
- They care deeply about what their business card says: They still believe that people respect their title, not them.
If you see this in any of your key people, coach them to leadership beyond titles.