Credentials are impressive. A few letters at the end of a name look prestigious. Fancy titles are impressive, too. They command authority when read. However, no amount of letters at the end of your name or no lofty title will serve you well if you are leaning on them as a crutch for performance effectiveness.
I remember a young, upcoming marketing director. She was very impressed with her degree from a well-known business college. She liked to remind her team about this accomplishment every chance she got. But, she was also pompous. Within a very short time frame, her reputation as a self-absorbed dictator earned her a new, unflattering moniker. What’s unfortunate is she didn’t even realize it and continued to make every meeting her stage. As a result, attendees checked out and productivity declined, which in turn, compromised the company bottom line of profitable service.
It is perfectly acceptable to document your expertise with initials and titles, but it is entirely inappropriate to use your degree, certification, license or position to wield authority because you feel entitled to do so. These “footnotes” simply tell others you have invested time and energy to learn. But beware! Oppressive behavior and attitude will quickly override the merit of them all. Before you know it, those you lead will be assigning new meaning to the letters that follow your name, and you won’t like the adjustment.
Remember, credentials and titles are not definitive measures of ability or effectiveness. You must continually act in ways that give those designations integrity. Only then will loyalty, commitment and optimal participation come about.