Cultura Ambassador Leandro Margulis & The Title or the Impact: Which One Comes First?

July 30, 2018

The best moments of my career rarely had to do with the importance of the title I held at the time. Instead, they had everything to do with the impact I felt I was making. To this day, it’s been the most important lesson I’ve learnt in business. And today I want to share it with you.

Building a legacy

We all want the opportunity to make a lasting impact through our careers. We crave the chance to leave our mark on the industry and, long after our retirement, to take comfort in the knowledge that what we did will serve generations to come.

The question is not whether we should make an impact but rather how to best achieve this. So which one is it?

The prestige of a job title or the quiet force of the work itself?

Let’s take a look.

VP or Director? How much is your ego worth?

You are at a turning point in your career. You’re so close to getting a leadership position that you can almost taste it. And it tastes great.

But there’s so much variation in what they have to offer. How can you tell which will be the right one for you?

Some of the companies you are in contact with are large, others are small. Some offer impressive compensation packages, while others bet on inspiring you with their vision instead.

A 20-person startup might make you COO, while at a Fortune 500 company you might get to be the Operations Manager.

Would your CV shine as brightly if you were only the manager and not the COO?

It’s about the role, not the hierarchy

Regardless of the title, I suggest you focus on the role. Because at the end of the day, this is how you can make a difference.

Use these questions to decide for yourself:

· Will you be an individual contributor or take on a management or leadership role?

· What do you want your impact to look like? Do you want to be a specialist in your field (contributor) or influence growth through others (management/leadership)?

Let your vision guide you

Depending on where you see yourself in three and 10 years, your decision might be different. The important thing to remember is not to let a good opportunity pass because of a less-than-exciting job title.

You make the job exciting, not the title.

Look for potential

So how do you make the job exciting?

It’s all about the impact and growth potential. When deciding which role to go for, ask yourself these questions:

· Which of the opportunities that are on the table give you more room to grow?

· Where can I have more influence on business outcomes?

You want to make sure that, regardless of how important (or not) the title sounds, you can leave your mark and progress in your career.

Years from now, you’ll want to look back and love what that job did for you – be it the manager or the COO.

The best way is personal

In the end, I’d like to leave you with this thought. No single experience is the same, and the decision you will make is personal. What I hope this article taught you is to think of the value you will be able to create first and of the title you will have second.

Looking for your next career opportunity?

Let’s talk about how you can shape the future of mobility at TomTom #AchieveMore. Get in touch!