If you ask a team member “what do you do that justifies your being on the payroll?”

Would they say:

“I run the accounting department”.

Or “I’m in charge of the sales force”.

Or would they say:

“It’s my job to give our managers the information they need to make the right decisions”.

Or “I’m responsible for finding out what products the customer will want tomorrow”.

The people who stress their downward authority have their own importance at heart and will struggle to be team players.

But people who focus on contribution and who take responsibility for results, no matter their role in the company, are top management candidates.

…as they hold themselves responsible for the performance of the whole.