Why You Should Never Call Yourself a Guru

Have you met any gurus recently? I know I have received quite a few connection requests from self-anointed ninjas, trailblazers, and pioneers. Recently I asked folks on LinkedIn to share their encounters with other “buzzword bingo” job titles. The responses did not disappoint — disruptor, change agent, influencer, and (yes) guru. Unless someone is an actual ninja, I have to wonder what people are hoping to communicate with these terms.

Buzzy descriptors may sound impressive —but despite...