Have you ever gotten a new title and suddenly felt unsure or stressed because of all the new things people expect from you? A lot of people think getting a new title will make them feel successful, but a title doesn’t magically help you do the job well.
Titles sound great, Senior Engineer, Tech Lead, Manager, Director, VP, CTO, etc, but they don’t mean much if your mindset isn’t ready. Without the corresponding mindset, they’re just a label on your LinkedIn profile.
Each new title comes with new expectations, responsibilities, and pressures. If you haven’t already been thinking, acting, and behaving as if you’re already in that role before, you’re setting yourself up for unnecessary stress and potential failure.
It’s great to have ambition, but jumping ahead before you’re ready can set you up for failure. I’ve seen engineers who are eager for the next promotion, chasing the title without developing the skills and mindset first. Then suddenly, the expectations change overnight, and they find themselves struggling to keep up. It’s stressful, frustrating, and can quickly land you in the “needs improvement” zone.
It’s not just individual engineers who fall into this trap. Sometimes managers or leaders prematurely grant fancy titles to team members, hoping to shift their expectations or productivity. This can work sometimes because the pressure helps people grow. But more often, it goes badly and leads to stress, burnout, or even team breakdown.
The responsibility of the leaders is to first coach and mentor team members into the mindset they need to succeed. Mindset first, title second, that’s the sustainable path to team growth.
In my experience, promotions aren’t about potential alone. They’re about demonstrating the consistent behavior, attitude, and mindset aligned with the next role. When someone consistently thinks, acts, and behaves like a senior engineer, a leader, the title simply confirms reality and opens a new set of challenges and opportunities. They step into their new role with confidence, already equipped for success. The next important step for their managers is giving them a steady stream of new challenges, learning experiences, and opportunities to grow, so they can continue to thrive, stay motivated, and build on their success.
At the end of the day, the title is just a label. It might show what you are doing, but it doesn’t define your capabilities. What truly matters is your mindset. So, if you’re aiming higher, first ask yourself: Are you already thinking, acting, and behaving at that level?
Remember: chase the mindset, and the title will follow naturally.