We often chase titles. But the people who quietly shape companies rarely do. In over 30 years in executive search, I’ve met several people whose job titles didn’t reflect their power or importance. That made me think: what really defines your influence at work? This article is about that—and why it may matter more than your title. Most people choose jobs only based on salary, other benefits, and the title on the door. When you focus only on that, it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees. What if your influence could matter more than the title? This may be the most overlooked, yet critical, factor in a successful long-term career.
What titles don’t tell you
A title like “Executive Search Consultant,” sales manager, or even CEO is just that—a title. Line up 100 people with the same job title, and it tells you nothing of how these people differ. For some, the title is just a label on a business card. For others, it reflects real weight and responsibility. A title may suggest power—but power beyond the title is often invisible. Someone is just implementing orders given by someone else. Someone might be the owner’s right hand or the CEO’s trusted advisor, impacting key decisions. Their influence may go far beyond what their job title reveals.
Your respect and influence aren’t defined or limited by your title
Respect, credibility, and strong performance can give you surprising influence, well beyond and completely independent of your official title. My own experience at Boyden (below) may not be universally applicable, but it shows that much can be achieved when you operate the right way.
What influence is made of
Strong expertise, performance, and delivery as agreed are the foundation in every job. But on top of this, you need more: the right mindset, ambition, motivation, integrity, reliability, ethics, open and honest communication, willingness to grow, the ability to make tough decisions and own your mistakes, and the resilience to overcome setbacks and learn from them. And above all—a strong, genuine, and, mind you, visible commitment to the company’s success.
Loyalty that leadership notices
What company leadership really values is seeing that you aim to succeed through the company’s success—not at the company’s expense. That means sticking around and fighting for the company even during rough periods: when markets are down, when the company is losing money, when salaries or bonuses can’t be raised that year. You don’t need to get everything right or achieve supernatural things, but leadership must see that you’re genuinely trying. If your boss sees that you’re “a company person,” not just someone chasing personal status and salary, you can earn a level of respect, influence, and also a security that you may not even imagine belonged to the package. And for this reason—people like this don’t get laid off.
People like this do get rewarded—but over time. Because building real trust takes time. There are no quick wins here, not even if you’re the best in the world at what you do. This is not a one-year sprint but a 5–10-year journey, maybe even longer. It takes real effort. But when you are trustworthy, committed, and always deliver, you will eventually, little by little, over the years, get ever more independence, power, and influence beyond your title—and one day, you are there.
People I have met
During my years as a headhunter, I had the privilege of meeting several people like this, where I recognized that they had influence and power well beyond their title and were highly appreciated by their employer. They were obviously very good at their job, but that was more like a given in this context. What really caught my attention was that they didn’t seem to consciously strive for power or influence. They did not strive for power and glory. Their number one goal was always to do a good job together with the team and deliver as promised. They didn’t chase status—they earned respect and trust, and with that came the influence.
My journey at Boyden
I also have my own very modest experience to share on this subject. I worked at Boyden Finland for 21 years. Over time, I managed to build a position where my influence wasn’t tied to my title. Of course, I didn’t do this alone—it required open-minded partners who made it possible. In many respects, I was treated as an equal. Even when we disagreed, the partners never pulled the “owner card.” We made decisions based on facts. If I presented a convincing case, my viewpoint often prevailed—even if the partners initially disagreed. My influence “beyond my title” gave me freedom, trust, and the autonomy to shape my own work. I could also occasionally use my expertise to impact decisions that were well beyond my area of responsibility, or even beyond Boyden Finland—decisions that concerned the whole company on a global basis.
If you focus on one thing—make it this
If I had to pick just one thing to focus on for the next ten years, it would be building exactly this kind of position for yourself. If you want long-term impact and security, forget chasing titles. Start building the kind of influence that actually matters. Start today.
I know what I said above may sound like a cliché. But it’s not. At Boyden, whenever I got a reference describing a person like this—they almost always got the job. And they always succeeded in it.
Lastly – it takes two to tango
I did my part well at Boyden, yes. But I didn’t achieve what I did only because of my own excellence. It was also due to the excellence of the partners—how they gave me freedom to try, supported me when I made mistakes, and enabled me to grow professionally. Our mutual respect and trust grew over time, and as a bonus, so did my influence.
My point is this:
When you’re about to make a job change, pay close attention to the company culture, values, leadership style, and the character of your future boss. Check the company references and finances. Make sure you choose wisely – because they are the other partner in the tango.