A job title or position, symbolised by a chair, has many utilities. Besides providing regular engagement and financial security, it offers positional power. This power lends a chair a magnetic appeal. Handled and channelled well, the positional power enables us to not only influence desired behaviour but also drive and make an impactful change, be it in office, institution, or society.

Yet, for many of us, our relationship with the chair is one of obsessive attachment, which later turns out to be problematic and a pain.

A title, through its own inbuilt spell, exposes many of our vulnerabilities. First, overwhelmed with positional power, we fail to remain grounded. We are blind to the fact that people gravitate towards us largely due to the position we hold. Bereft of this realisation, we create our own make-believe empire of supremacy. Secondly, trappings of power put our value systems to test. We risk our sense of purpose being derailed and integrity compromised. Thirdly, we start believing the sycophants around us as our real friends. Self-absorbed in this illusion, we get detached from people who should really matter to us, and remain deprived of their honest feedback. Another serious pitfall, born out of self-importance, is that we don’t feel the need to learn new skills and upgrade ourselves.

Power derived from chair exists till the source, that is the chair, is with us. Without chair, what remains is our personal qualities — character, skills, attitudes — all part of personal power. A life without chair can very well be led gracefully and enjoyed cheerfully provided we savour our sense of wonder, continue invested in learning, and pursue our interests and passions.

Yet, we dread a scenario without chair. Retirement from office, for instance, turns out to be traumatic for many of us. More the trappings, more the trepidation and trauma. Even without any problems relating to money, still, separated from chair, many of us sulk. Devoid of perks, salutations, adulations, flatterers, sycophants, a life without title appears hollow, lonely, and miserable.

One major factor behind the misery is that we tie our sense of self-worth to our job title, which becomes a mask for who we really are. The world rewards that mask with validation, approval, and applause. Clearly, when our self-worth becomes dependent on the titles, our sense of self becomes fragile. If who we are depends on what position we hold, then any loss of that — because of burnout, layoffs, retirement or illness — can feel threatening.

Ignorantly assuming the worldly position, status, and authority as permanent, we often behave arrogantly or irresponsibly. That life can strip away or dismantle the transient constructs of credentials, labels or titles, therefore, could be a powerful self-awareness that should strike us early, when we are in the midst of enjoying positional power, clinging tightly the labels. It helps immensely to appreciate that underneath the job titles, there is a human being who needs to be developed with virtues like curiosity, learning, empathy, compassion. That enlightened self doesn’t disappear when a title disappears. And that is the most meaningful title to aspire and hold.

rkrishnasinha@hotmail.com