New Hats For The Chiefs !

New Hats for the Chiefs

Companies are doing away with time-worn designations and introducing creative concepts in naming key roles. Others are doing away with terms like ‘employees’ and ‘heads’, in an attempt to break down hierarchies and bring in more colour to their jobs 

Job titles that say, ‘agile evangelist’ or ‘chief pusher’ may conjure up images of work involving two extremes — one, a crusader, and the other, connecting to the seamier world of narcotics. But with a bit of lateral thinking, these can also be perfectly operational, senior corporate designations.

Corporate India is tossing out the old, stodgy nomenclature in favour of creative, personalised designations. At Bangalore-based start up Teleradiology Solutions, the CEO is called the ‘chief pusher’, quite simply because he pushes and nudges employees into delivering the goods. The organisation also has a chief listening officer (HR head) and chief enabler (technology head). “It creates an environment where designations do not matter,” says chief dreamer, Sunita Maheshwari.

Instead of being called ‘business development head’,Maheshwari prefers the quirkier title she now has. In most organisations that work on similar lines, executives want their titles to resonate their approach to work instead of seniority. It breaks down hierarchies; Maheshwari, for instance, plans to knock off the ‘chief ’ in her title.

In most cases, though, the choice of designation is reserved for those who have proved themselves. The rest of the employees can stick to well-worn labels. The core content of the ‘glamorised’ role does not change.

The Label Says it All 

Chief Listening Officer

THE WAILING wall for all employees. Looks after policies, compensation and career growth. Also known as the human resource head

Chief Pusher

OTHERWISE CALLED the chief executive officer. Now wears the ‘nudging’ badge high

Chief Dreamer

IDEATES TO get more clients and business. In the traditional hierarchy, is called business development head

People Success

A HUMAN resource officer who involves himself or herself closely in career development, and is a success enabler of employees and the organisation

Chief Ethics Officer

KEEPS A check on fraudulent behaviour, and a close watch on every business unit

Agile Evangelist

THE ROLE involves promoting the adoption of Agile software across businesses

Story by Devina Sengupta @ Times : Snippets from ET, 13 April 2012, Page 6.