“She’s a vice president,” my manager chided me in front of guests. “She just doesn’t give herself credit with the title.” This was after I had introduced myself as a director, which was my actual title. For months, my manager had insisted that I use the title of vice president in my email signature, my LinkedIn profile, and when introducing myself to external parties.
So Your Boss Offered You a Meaningless Promotion
Empty new titles are a common form of “diversity-washing.”
November 18, 2021
Illustration by Ricardo Santos
Summary.
Promotions in title only aren’t a new phenomenon. Some leaders may think that by offering you a better title, they’re honoring your contributions and showing that they value you. Some might offer promotions in title only as a way to retain talent when attrition starts to spike. Or, with the pressure to show progress on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments, some companies will be looking for shortcuts — without doing the meaningful work. Offering fake promotions can be a form of diversity washing, where organizations look for quick fixes to their public DEI commitments. The author explains what to do if you think you’re being offered a fake promotion.
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New!
HBR Learning
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.