We live in an era where the thirst for titles has eclipsed the purpose they were created for. CEO, Director, Manager, Pastor, Leader, Influencer, Consultant—important-sounding labels that once symbolized responsibility, stewardship, and earned respect. Today, too often, they are simply status symbols worn like fashion, granted to individuals who neither understand nor care about the duties the roles require.
This plague of hollow leadership is more than just annoying. It's dangerous. Because when people who crave power avoid responsibility, institutions crumble, trust erodes, and societies suffer.
The Seduction of the Spotlight
Let’s be honest: titles come with perks. Authority. Influence. Prestige. Sometimes money. Sometimes fame. In a culture where appearance is often mistaken for value, a title becomes a shortcut to being taken seriously—whether or not you've actually earned it.
Some chase these roles for validation, others for ego. Some want to control people without serving them. Many want the salary, the corner office, the applause, but not the sacrifice, the learning, or the long hours behind the scenes.
We see it everywhere:
Executives who spend more time curating their LinkedIn than leading their teams.
Politicians who campaign with passion but govern with apathy.
Supervisors who micromanage, delegate poorly, and dodge accountability.
"Thought leaders" who recycle clichés instead of offering genuine insight.
Religious leaders who speak of humility while living in decadence.
The pattern is the same: title first, responsibility last.
What Happened to Work Ethic?
There was a time—not long ago—when your title was a reflection of your track record. You climbed the ladder because you showed up, did the work, led with integrity, and earned trust.
Now, it’s about optics. Who has the best brand? Who sounds the most confident in a meeting? Who networked with the right people at the right time?
Meritocracy has taken a back seat to theatrics. People with little to no experience demand senior roles because they “feel ready.” Some think ambition alone is enough. It’s not. Confidence without competence is a recipe for disaster.
Power Without Purpose Is Poison
Here’s the harsh truth: power without responsibility is meaningless. Worse, it's destructive.
When someone holds power but lacks the ethics, courage, or will to wield it correctly, they don't just fail quietly—they sabotage entire systems. They make decisions that affect lives, livelihoods, and futures while being guided by selfish motives, not collective good.
It’s like handing someone the keys to a nuclear facility just because they dress the part. We shouldn’t be surprised when things blow up.
Power is not a prize; it’s a burden. The higher you climb, the more people you serve, the more accountable you must become. But in this twisted age of self-worship and social media performance, too many forget that.
The Toll on the People Who Do Care
Perhaps the most frustrating part of this trend is how it affects those who do take their roles seriously.
•The employee who goes the extra mile while their boss takes credit.
•The teacher who pours heart and soul into students while administrators chase funding headlines.
•The nonprofit volunteer doing the grunt work while leadership basks in photo-ops.
•The junior staff covering for an absent manager.
People with integrity are burning out—exhausted from holding the line while others exploit the system. When the wrong people rise, the right people either quit or are silenced. And that is perhaps the greatest tragedy: we are losing the very people who should be leading.
The Cost to Society
This isn’t just a workplace issue—it’s societal. When incompetence, laziness, and greed go unchecked in leadership, the ripple effect is enormous.
Corruption grows. Accountability disappears. Mediocrity becomes normalized. Trust in institutions evaporates.
When people in power don’t do their jobs, systems fail. Bridges collapse. Budgets vanish. Justice is delayed—or denied. Progress stalls.
And then we wonder why morale is low, why people are disengaged, why nothing ever seems to change.
We Need a Cultural Reset
So how do we fix this?
First, we need to stop worshipping titles. A fancy nameplate means nothing without the substance behind it. We should celebrate impact, not image. Substance over style. Results over rhetoric.
Second, we need to stop promoting people based solely on charisma, connections, or credentials. Leadership should be based on character, competence, and commitment. If you’re not willing to serve, you don’t deserve to lead.
Third, we must redefine success. Instead of asking, “What do you want to be?” we should ask, “What do you want to contribute?” Leadership is not about how high you can climb, but how many you can lift along the way.
A Call to the Power-Hungry
If you are someone chasing status without the stomach for service, here’s a word of caution: one day, the title won’t protect you. Your actions—or inaction—will catch up. Real power is not about control; it’s about consequence.
Ask yourself:
•Do you want the title, or the responsibility?
•Do you crave applause, or impact?
•Are you building something lasting, or just inflating your ego?
Because the world doesn’t need more figureheads or frauds. It needs leaders. Real ones. The kind who show up early, stay late, admit mistakes, and put others before themselves. The kind who carry weight, not just wear crowns.
Closing Thoughts
It’s time we stop mistaking ambition for ability, noise for knowledge, and titles for truth. A position means nothing if it’s not backed by purpose. A leader is not defined by a business card, but by their ability to do hard things, make right choices, and serve others when no one is watching.
So to the ones who only want the title: step aside.
Let the builders, the doers, the servants, and the real leaders through.
0 comments