Your Title – Your value – Why should you add value? and the meaning of life ( not just 42)

My title is going to change again….

Yet when you put this title change into context; what does it really mean?”

This is what Mark Pryor (the catalyst of my mindshift change starting from 2017) asked me this week.

 According to Mark Pryor:

 “ it is not about your title, it′s about how you show up and the value you add.

A title sets expectations. To stretch the point, no one should have one since it requires you to demonstrate at all times your position rather than lean on a name. 

It’s a badge of Kudos or a cultural status symbol which looks backwards to what has been achieved not forwards to what needs to be done next.

Yes a title can open doors to meetings, but it′s what you say in these meetings and the actions you complete, that matter.

How you complete those actions and if your actions create leaders or followers, is what makes the difference .”

And so I walk away again.. trying to contextualise our conversation.

So what does a title represent ?

The way I hold this in my head is that titles have a similar function to domain names.

A domain name does not define the value of a web-page content.

 A domain name is just a mechanism to find what you are looking for .

 What value you generate once you have been found it is up to you.

So why should you add any value?

 Let’s say that you are the fountain that delivers the cure for arthritis. The only problem is that the fountain (you) is located at the top of a mountain.

 The people that are in  need for the water you provide in abundance suffer from arthritis and you are asking them to climb that mountain in order to receive the cure.

 Will this ever happen? No ,so most probably their kids or relatives who can walk free of pain and don’t have a need of what you offer will climb up the mountain.

 Let’s think of a different fountain; a fountain that is positioned in the town square.

 This fountain is not special. It does not cure arthritis. It simply satisfies your thirst.

The fountain that satisfies thirst will generate equal value and will have a greater following just by being accessible and visible.

 You don’t have to be brilliant to add value, you are brilliant because you are visible, accessible and helpful.

As you start giving back and helping people you will start realizing that people are at different maturity levels.

Some people are very thirsty some people less thirsty some people understand that benefits of drinking water and some people do not.

You need to remain helpful but not forceful.

As people will come to drink your water you don’t have to add speakers left and right of the fountain preaching “the doctors says you should be drinking more than 2 liters of water every day.”

Helpful but not preaching of what the book says. If you remain helpful people will come back and they will slowly figure out what is right for them.

Finally what is the meaning of life? Not just 42

 Life is a like an ice cream and an candle (by Gaur Gopal Das).

 On one hand, you need to enjoy the ice cream before it melts away. . Be aware of how lucky you are for being able to do something you really like, act accordingly.

 On the other hand, just like a candle, life melts away slowly. Provide your light to others.  

You will receive a similar amount of enjoyment as the one form the ice cream by helping others.

 Closing thoughts from Mark Pryor:

“In any organisation as you move up the ladder , the people that you have helped and stood by , are the people that will help and stand by you . If you stepped on people as you moved up, you are standing on a house of cards , waiting to fall.”