I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I remember telling my employees what I needed them to do and I would use my supervisors name, because I knew it carried more weight. What I realized is that, they were not working for me but for my supervisor who they respected and had reported to before I took over the store. I was insecure in my leadership, so I though I would use someone else’s to get the job done. I needed to get my team working for me, using my own voice. Yes, I had to stand on my own two leadership feet and it was a little scary, but as you can see, I am still here, I survived. I didn’t die.

Have you ever worked for someone who used their title to get things done? If you have, I know you hated it.

Well, I have a friend who works for the government. Every time we talk she share with me something her supervisor has done, and it’s always something where the supervisor uses her title to threaten people with their jobs to get things done. That is a bully and not a leader. She shared with me once that she put in a request to be off over thirty days in advance. After about a week of putting in her request she had not received a response from her supervisor, so she informed her supervisor she would need to be off because she was attending her family reunion. Her supervisor said, only if we have enough people. So my friend, worked to cover her shift by another employee so she could have the time off and the business would have enough people to cover the shifts. Once she had it covered, she informed her supervisor and her supervisor told her, “you know I can reject the replacement you found as the supervisor.” Now that is leading with a title.

Here are three ways to kill your title and resurrect a leader:

• Use your own voice. Anytime you have to use someone else’s voice, it means you are insecure in your own leadership. It means that you are not confident in your leadership abilities. You have to know, that employees know what you are doing, and have to know that you are losing credibility and trust.
• Don’t use your title to get things done. No one wants to work for a title, but everyone wants to work for a great leader. If your title is carrying all the weight, then you need to workout your leadership muscle and gain some strength.
• Ask and Explain. Everyone needs to understand the why. When you need something done, or give a direction, explain why it is important. As the leader you have the right to ask for things to be done, and there is a way to do everything.

As leaders, not a manager, you have to INgage your employees. You will get more done and somethings done without asking.

it’s time to kill the title so that a leader can come forth.

It’s time to INgage.

Becky A. Davis

Becky A Davis from M.V.P.work. Visit us today at http://www.mvpwork.com.