In my last post I asked for your help in choosing a title for the new book, and the results are in:
With 60% of the vote, Greater Than Yourself was the hands-down winner for the main title. As far as the subtitle goes, well, let’s just say that’s still unclear. (My old friend, Sam Nitzberg, contributed my favorite write-in, But I Still Have You Beat, which is hilarious and therefore not an option). I still have to work it out with the publisher, but I’ve made an executive decision to stop worrying about it for now. It’ll all be a moot point unless I finish writing all that stuff that comes after.
Thanks to everyone who helped out–I appreciate it very much.
And with all this thinking about titles, I’ve been revisiting what I title myself.
You know what I mean, right?
I’m really not sure what to say when–on an airplane, for example–someone asks me what I do for work. What am I? Keynote speaker? Leadership speaker? Motivational speaker? Author? Business author? Speaker author motivational keynoter person?
“I’m a speaker and a writer,” I usually say. To some that probably sounds romantic, but to me it just seems bland. Vanilla.
It used to be faddish to come up with a really snappy title for yourself–one that describes the uniqueness of your work. My title at the Tom Peters Company was “Vice President and Official Mouthpiece.”
And I’ve known more than one receptionist who titled herself “Director of First Impressions.”
Is it still cool to do that snappy title thing, or has it gotten to be a little too precious?
I’m not sure.
So maybe you can help me out again. But this time, let’s talk about you:
How do you answer the what-do-you-do question?
What do you title yourself?
As I was sitting and pondering this question myself a couple years ago, I watched a video about myself, in my mind. These thoughts were prevalent in my dream:
It’s Me
I have never climbed to a mountain top,
Or crossed the wide open sea.
A trip to the moon I never have made,
I’m about as bland as anyone could be!
I have never witnessed stardom, a trip in its own.
And wealth has never been mine.
I can not sing, dance or write songs
I’m pretty plain and that is just fine.
Crowds do not gather as I enter a room,
And cheers I never have heard.
Billboards don’t reflect the person I am,
I’m summed up in only one word.
Common, that’s me, but please understand,
I am as happy as anyone I know.
I’m real and sincere, myself is my own,
I’m not an act or a fictional show.
I am who I am, who God made me to be,
Oh but I’m as strong as a climb to the peak!
Trophies and ribbons are not what I want,
It is my destiny that daily I seek!
It’s me!
Don L. Sutton
As I was sitting and pondering this question myself a couple years ago, I watched a video about myself, in my mind. These thoughts were prevalent in my dream:
It’s Me
I have never climbed to a mountain top,
Or crossed the wide open sea.
A trip to the moon I never have made,
I’m about as bland as anyone could be!
I have never witnessed stardom, a trip in its own.
And wealth has never been mine.
I can not sing, dance or write songs
I’m pretty plain and that is just fine.
Crowds do not gather as I enter a room,
And cheers I never have heard.
Billboards don’t reflect the person I am,
I’m summed up in only one word.
Common, that’s me, but please understand,
I am as happy as anyone I know.
I’m real and sincere, myself is my own,
I’m not an act or a fictional show.
I am who I am, who God made me to be,
Oh but I’m as strong as a climb to the peak!
Trophies and ribbons are not what I want,
It is my destiny that daily I seek!
It’s me!
Don L. Sutton
As a financial advisor/planner/registered rep/stockbroker/insurance agent/fee based advisor/part biz coach(financial)/part shrink…
I usually tell people I’m a shepherd.
Which is closer to the truth than any of the titles in the first line.
Absolutely LOVE what you do. never stop.
Dave in KC
As a financial advisor/planner/registered rep/stockbroker/insurance agent/fee based advisor/part biz coach(financial)/part shrink…
I usually tell people I’m a shepherd.
Which is closer to the truth than any of the titles in the first line.
Absolutely LOVE what you do. never stop.
Dave in KC
After decades in consulting and higher education work the only title that makes sense is “I am a Change Agent”
Direct, accurate and just a tad off normal. Also implies that there is always an opportunity to improv e and that staying static is not an option.
Enjoy the posts and the audio lessons. It helps with the class I am teaching.
After decades in consulting and higher education work the only title that makes sense is “I am a Change Agent”
Direct, accurate and just a tad off normal. Also implies that there is always an opportunity to improv e and that staying static is not an option.
Enjoy the posts and the audio lessons. It helps with the class I am teaching.
I am the Information Services Director for a medium sized State Agency. When I tell people that, they say, “Huh?”. Then I tell them I am the CIO. After more puzzled looks, I tell them I am a “Nerd Herder” and they reply, oh, you are a computer guy! Not quite, but that is usually the cue for me to ask them what they do for a living.
I am the Information Services Director for a medium sized State Agency. When I tell people that, they say, “Huh?”. Then I tell them I am the CIO. After more puzzled looks, I tell them I am a “Nerd Herder” and they reply, oh, you are a computer guy! Not quite, but that is usually the cue for me to ask them what they do for a living.
I’m a mirror of sorts.
I watch the world and reflect on what it shows me.
I’m a mirror of sorts.
I watch the world and reflect on what it shows me.
Howdy Folks,
Although my family might not agree, my proudest moments were my marriage, the births of my children, and providing a home for all of us.
Since as long as I can remember I’ve been building things so I consider my life’s title to be “Builder” which personally means so much more to me.
To explain, building is the act of creating and building gives me the opportunity to create something that is placed into service of humanity, to country, to something greater than myself.
What now seems so long ago, in shop class I always excelled at making projects and I always made more than one to give to family members.
As a child, while constructing my neighborhoods first two story club house or as an adult chomping at the bit for my next great construction experience I’ve always been driven to build and to do it properly.
The determination, the strife, the challenges, the weather, the problems, the headaches, the heartaches, the physical pain. I driven headlong into it all.
Now as I gaze across my career’s time span, the people, the projects, and the places I’m only begining to understand that it’s been my love not my knowledge or my ego that has carried me here.
Todd Wilson, Builder.
Building America
Howdy Folks,
Although my family might not agree, my proudest moments were my marriage, the births of my children, and providing a home for all of us.
Since as long as I can remember I’ve been building things so I consider my life’s title to be “Builder” which personally means so much more to me.
To explain, building is the act of creating and building gives me the opportunity to create something that is placed into service of humanity, to country, to something greater than myself.
What now seems so long ago, in shop class I always excelled at making projects and I always made more than one to give to family members.
As a child, while constructing my neighborhoods first two story club house or as an adult chomping at the bit for my next great construction experience I’ve always been driven to build and to do it properly.
The determination, the strife, the challenges, the weather, the problems, the headaches, the heartaches, the physical pain. I driven headlong into it all.
Now as I gaze across my career’s time span, the people, the projects, and the places I’m only begining to understand that it’s been my love not my knowledge or my ego that has carried me here.
Todd Wilson, Builder.
Building America
I work for a company that relishes titles, several layers deep of Vice Presidents, Directors and such. When asked my position within the company I simply regurgitate my title, which defines my role. However, it does not completely explain that I coach, mentor and develop people. I stretch people to believe beyond their own limitations.
All of us assume many titles throughout a twenty-four hour period: husband/wife, father/mother, manager, coach, etc. At the end of the day I only want one title – I am a child of God.
I work for a company that relishes titles, several layers deep of Vice Presidents, Directors and such. When asked my position within the company I simply regurgitate my title, which defines my role. However, it does not completely explain that I coach, mentor and develop people. I stretch people to believe beyond their own limitations.
All of us assume many titles throughout a twenty-four hour period: husband/wife, father/mother, manager, coach, etc. At the end of the day I only want one title – I am a child of God.
I am Chair of a Nuclear Medicine Technology Program. Kinda of geeky isn’t it? Though it’s a mouthful I like the title because it usually begs the question, what is nuclear medicine? Something I am passionate about and love to talk about.
Personally I would have to call myself a “servant.” Not a comment that I would immediately think of when reading a leadership blog. Ultimately, I serve God, my family, my students, my profession, my colleagues… It’s not my show but I can serve others to help them find stardom.
I am Chair of a Nuclear Medicine Technology Program. Kinda of geeky isn’t it? Though it’s a mouthful I like the title because it usually begs the question, what is nuclear medicine? Something I am passionate about and love to talk about.
Personally I would have to call myself a “servant.” Not a comment that I would immediately think of when reading a leadership blog. Ultimately, I serve God, my family, my students, my profession, my colleagues… It’s not my show but I can serve others to help them find stardom.
I am going to have to say I am untitled at the moment. I guess if anything I am a process because leadership is a process.
I am going to have to say I am untitled at the moment. I guess if anything I am a process because leadership is a process.
Who is God if not for you?
How do you know he chose what for you to do?
A child of.
A servant too.
These are not titles you can give you.
T. Wilson
Who is God if not for you?
How do you know he chose what for you to do?
A child of.
A servant too.
These are not titles you can give you.
T. Wilson
I’m not sure my comments will be as creative as those above. I made the decision several years ago to call myself the Chief Potential Officer, after going through the same thought process you describe Steve.
While it may be out of date, here is what I observe:
– I love it and it is meaningful to me.
– It generates conversation (which was one of my goals)
– It helps me explain the value we can bring to others (a nice side benefit)
Just my two cents. : )
Be Remarkable today!
Kevin Eikenberry
I’m not sure my comments will be as creative as those above. I made the decision several years ago to call myself the Chief Potential Officer, after going through the same thought process you describe Steve.
While it may be out of date, here is what I observe:
– I love it and it is meaningful to me.
– It generates conversation (which was one of my goals)
– It helps me explain the value we can bring to others (a nice side benefit)
Just my two cents. : )
Be Remarkable today!
Kevin Eikenberry
You pose a great question…while my title is Principal it doesn’t touch on what we do. Like any “job,” “calling,” “chosen profession” your title changes based on where your building/life is that fiscal year…where the people, family members inside of your building are in the journey of where you are going.
This year I am looking at my title as a “movie director” and “producer.” I am motivating my actors (teachers) to “visualize” the scene (standards based classroom) so they may more deeply personalize their roles in their theaters (classroom) to the audience they are serving (their students). I could go much deeper into educational jargon but will stop.
As a “producer” (if I understand the meaning of what a movie producer does), I am working hard with our military, business community, and district to acquire funding (both in-kind and financial) to back what we are doing in our “theaters.”
You pose a great question…while my title is Principal it doesn’t touch on what we do. Like any “job,” “calling,” “chosen profession” your title changes based on where your building/life is that fiscal year…where the people, family members inside of your building are in the journey of where you are going.
This year I am looking at my title as a “movie director” and “producer.” I am motivating my actors (teachers) to “visualize” the scene (standards based classroom) so they may more deeply personalize their roles in their theaters (classroom) to the audience they are serving (their students). I could go much deeper into educational jargon but will stop.
As a “producer” (if I understand the meaning of what a movie producer does), I am working hard with our military, business community, and district to acquire funding (both in-kind and financial) to back what we are doing in our “theaters.”
Your Director of First Impressions sounds great. I think adding such unique titles to your name is a good thing. In a way, it gives people a preview of the kind of person you are. Frankly, I’m not really sure what to call myself. Perhaps I should take the time to look at what my current position is now and translate it into something more literary. I love fiction and that’s probably how my own personality will stand out.
Your Director of First Impressions sounds great. I think adding such unique titles to your name is a good thing. In a way, it gives people a preview of the kind of person you are. Frankly, I’m not really sure what to call myself. Perhaps I should take the time to look at what my current position is now and translate it into something more literary. I love fiction and that’s probably how my own personality will stand out.
OK Steve…having lived through the branding thing with you at tpc, I never did get close to coming up with something I was happy with. And I do have trouble explaining to folks what my profession is. Mind you, most of my neighbors are farmers, service station owners, service workers, etc. My last corporate title was “OD Head”. Try explaining that to an auto worker father. So what is on my card now?? Nothing but my name. Takes me a bit longer than a few words to try and sum up what I hope I am providing to the world…
OK Steve…having lived through the branding thing with you at tpc, I never did get close to coming up with something I was happy with. And I do have trouble explaining to folks what my profession is. Mind you, most of my neighbors are farmers, service station owners, service workers, etc. My last corporate title was “OD Head”. Try explaining that to an auto worker father. So what is on my card now?? Nothing but my name. Takes me a bit longer than a few words to try and sum up what I hope I am providing to the world…
I’m not entirely sure why having a title is important to me except that having one gives me something I can local my self with in an organization….kind of like an organizational global positioning device.
In reading the above posts I gather many people no longer require a job title but they seem to need something more.
I myself have had to discover that no matter how much I desire a title at work I need something more to help me understand just who I am and what I stand for in all of it.
The world is a funny place and getting more diverse and complicated every day. Maybe job titles will go by the wayside and a new world will unfold.
Just some further thoughts.
T. Wilson
I’m not entirely sure why having a title is important to me except that having one gives me something I can local my self with in an organization….kind of like an organizational global positioning device.
In reading the above posts I gather many people no longer require a job title but they seem to need something more.
I myself have had to discover that no matter how much I desire a title at work I need something more to help me understand just who I am and what I stand for in all of it.
The world is a funny place and getting more diverse and complicated every day. Maybe job titles will go by the wayside and a new world will unfold.
Just some further thoughts.
T. Wilson