What’s in a title? Look beyond status
Chair's Message
Ben Ellingson, CPA, CGMA | October 2020 Footnote
Editor's note: Updated September 30, 2020
Many of us still remember our first promotion. Mine was a move from associate to senior associate in the firm’s audit department, and that was a confidence boost for someone not long out of college. Years later, my career highlight was promotion to partner; I still remember receiving that phone call. Years of hard work and motivation to reach that goal finally came to fruition, and it was a significant accomplishment.
But, while intrinsic motivation and a sense of pride often come with the pursuit of job titles, is there any downside to them? Frankly, I believe there can be. There is no question that job titles certainly have their place in the world today. Company organizational charts are built on them, job responsibilities are assigned based on them and we often use them as a symbol of achievement. But, in my perfect world, job titles simply wouldn’t exist.
When it comes down to it, I think every single member of an organization plays an important role in the company’s overall success because it seems, at times, the hierarchy created from the titles just gets in the way. Credit for a job well done often flows to the individuals who are more visible or at the top of the hierarchy; the credit doesn’t always make it to those behind the scenes who all play an important role in the creation of a product or delivery of a service.
Challenge your perception
Have you ever found yourself trying to speak more “officially” with a member of leadership and then more comfortably with someone on your team or at your same level? Are there moments where you may leave someone out of a meeting thinking they might be too “green” to need a seat at the table? Have you been more likely to express gratitude to those individuals above you in the hierarchy compared to those below you? Job titles often change how we communicate (or don’t) with co-workers, which we likely do without even knowing that we’re doing it. Unfortunately, the impact could mean great ideas and great people are lost in the shuffle.
For me, everyone’s focus should be on one simple factor: respect. Respect is something that should be shown the same across the board — from the seasoned CEO to the brand-new team member. Thank people for their contributions and recognize their accomplishments and efforts. Know that each member of your team or company is doing their best to contribute to the end goal. Make a conscious effort to see past the titles to the person behind them; when you do, you won’t be disappointed in the results.
2020 Recognition Dinner
No qualifier is needed to say 2020 has been quite a different year than most of us have ever experienced. That includes the newest among our ranks. Unfortunately, the MNCPA’s Spring Recognition Dinner, honoring the state’s newest CPAs, was delayed because of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hope to host a combined, in-person event with the usual Fall Recognition Dinner also couldn’t become a reality with the ongoing public health crisis.
However, the MNCPA has, like with many other facets of its operations, transitioned to a virtual offering to celebrate Minnesota’s newest CPAs. The event is Oct. 29, and I encourage you to join everyone in celebrating this career milestone for hundreds of our new peers. You can find out more at
www.mncpa.org/recdinner.
Sincerely,
Ben Ellingson, CPA, CGMA
Chair, MNCPA board of directors
boardchair@mncpa.org
