We’ve compressed human identity into one line on a business card—and it’s destroying how we hire, how we work, and how we see ourselves.
In this episode, I challenge the dangerous assumption that job titles equal identity. Sparked by the collapse of the Scrum Master job market, I explore why companies hire labels instead of capabilities, why candidates feel empty when titles disappear, and why the question “Are you a [insert title]?” stops real conversation before it starts.
I share stories from my time at IBM—where titles were handed out instead of raises—and reveal what’s actually on my business card today (hint: it’s not what you’d expect).
If you’ve ever felt reduced to your job title, or wondered why hiring feels so broken, this episode will make you rethink everything.
Key topics: Job titles vs. identity • The Scrum Master collapse • Why hiring by title fails • IBM title theater • Moving beyond labels
Think before you act.
