Last week, I received a wonderful email from the Chartered Management Institute to confirm that I had been awarded the “ultimate accolade” in management by becoming recognised as a Chartered Manager.  I was delighted!  I’ve been formally working towards this recognition during my academic studies over the last 18 months, and have been building towards the pre-requisite experience via my 5 or so years in formal leadership and management career roles along the way.

I laughed at the email though, because whilst I was simply expecting a certificate, registration number, and the opportunity to tell everyone my news, I was reminded that I now also get to use letters after my name!  CMgr MCMI, to be precise.

Reading those letters aloud made me question where I stand on the concept of titles.  On one hand, I’ve earned the formal recognition, and I should take pride in letting everyone know about it – hey, it might even score me a great project or client in the future.  On the other hand, would utilising the letters on any written correspondence or promotional literature make me look like – and I quote a wonderful friend and colleague here – “a complete t****r”?

8 little letters in a string…  One ultimate accolade, or one load of pretention?

I honestly don’t know what to do.  Apparently, as a qualified teacher, you’re allowed to use letters such as ‘PGCE’ and ‘QTS’ after your name, and yet I’ve never had the desire to do that over the past 12 years since qualifying.  Is this a little different though, because receiving CMI status is not quite so often ‘bestowed’?  I know that if I did use my newly available letters, it would purely be for work-related contexts.  I’m not very likely to sign off my SnapChat stories with them.  Having said that, I’ve seen people do far more pretentious things on social media…

I think I’ll put it to a vote.  If you’ve read this blog and have a thought on the issue, I’d love to hear it – even if it’s to call me a t****r!