Only managers are people managers

[hellome123]

My colleague said that only people who are managers of people should have manager in their name. This was after I had a new job title/responsibilties and we were at a training event for managers. I don't manage anyone.

Aibu

So what do you manage?

Manager = managing a thing, people, projects, offices, farms.... the list goes on. Leadership and management are not the same thing.

Not all managers manage people. For example you can be an ‘office manager’ without managing people, as you literally manage the office.
I manage two people but I don’t have manager in my title.

Where I work, only people who have line management responsibility can have 'Manager' in their job title. If they're in charge of, say, a policy area, they would be called 'Lead' or 'Head of'. This is in Civil Service, though that might just be in my department.

I had manager in my title until recently - not directly line managing anyone (we have a really flat structure anyway). It just meant I was responsible for managing that area of the business/ took the lead on projects relating to it.

Recently been promoted and my new role does include people management, which is new to me actually.

What would you call someone managing a project given "project manager" is a industry wide professionally recognised role?

So what's an office manager? Or project manager?

No, they are talking out of their arse. The job title manager is often part of the job hierarchy in a company and doesn't necessarily mean people manager. Also someone who manages people might not have manager in their job title.

Account manager? Relationship manager?

You can manage things that are not people.

Manage risks
Manage projects
Manage advisors
Manage processes

To me management indicates a degree of ownership or responsibility for delivery.

Ooh, I’m a Manager that doesn’t manage people. I find it amusing.

It’s just part of our title system, probably quite common in accountancy firms.

Next step is Associate Director and I probably still won’t manage/direct anyone. What can I say- I’m a fraud (and happy about it)

Office Coordinator, XX Project Lead or Head of (project name). My part of CS uses some bespoke evaluation schemes rather than the standard ones applied across other departments, which is why I added the caveat about it maybe only applying to where I work.

Senior project manager?

I find it quite weird she said it at a training event for managers and in front of me?

XX Senior Project Lead. I'm not saying I agree with our Department's naming conventions, FWIW, I think it's bonkers.

Nonsense. I was a manager. I managed a £2 million programme, coordinated consultants and contractors, arranged and delivered events, monitored performance and budget, implementing changes and improvements where necessary. If that’s not managing I’m not sure what is.

Well she is wrong and rude. Her behaviour doesn’t indicate great people management skills either.