How Titles Influence Authority More Than Expertise

Power is frequently accepted before it is ever proven, generally speaking. Part of this is the function of titles. The moment a person is referred to as a “manager” or “director,” for example, the immediate effect is the change in the way their words will be received, even before any level of expertise is displayed. Such a phenomenon has been observed in studies of organizational behavior, where power is found to outweigh actual competence in helping shape a group’s decisions. Persons who are given a position with a higher status will be more likely to have their opinions accepted, regardless of the quality of their input, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology (2012) .

A system where expertise is not necessarily its own advocate is created, and employees who are experts in their field, yet do not hold a title, may see their efforts ignored or delayed in their recognition. Those who do hold a title, conversely, may not necessarily be experts in the field, yet their voice is given greater immediate consideration. It is not necessarily a bad system, though.

It is a system that is built on the structure of the organization itself, as well as the way that individuals are conditioned to respond to a system. This can ultimately lead to a system where what is being said is not necessarily as important as who is saying it. Titles do not only represent power; they can affect the behavior surrounding them. People may speak thoughtfully or modify their tone according to the perceived level of the individual they are dealing with.


Hierarchical symbols can stifle dissent, even when different opinions could lead to a better outcome, according to a study done by Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (2016). The title can thus alter the conversation itself, not only its result.

What makes this dynamic so persistent is that, on the surface, it is functional. Titles assist in determining roles and decision-making. There is, however, a disconnect created by a level at which authority is not necessarily tied to knowledge. This is not to say that knowledge is irrelevant, but rather that it is not necessarily the driving force behind influence. Acknowledging this disconnect, however, does not eliminate the hierarchy but rather alters how it is viewed. It is no longer necessarily a measure of assumption, but rather a measure of observation.