If leadership is your goal or current position, it is solely your job to step-up when everyone else begs off the job; even when you don't feel like it and would be completely justified in doing so.

If the underlings cannot show up for work and half-ass their assignments; you can't. When there is an emergency to be handled, you must step up. When someone's work is not up to par, they must be taken to task: By the person whose effort sets the example.


The people under you may not always take the work or themselves seriously, but when there is an emergency, they'll all be expecting you to bail them out. And when you're the leader, the person at the head of the table, that's exactly what you'll do.