“The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child.” — Ezekiel 18:20 NIV

We know that the best of parents can find themselves with the most unruly child. We are all individuals with our own personalities and character issues, and as such we are all responsible for our own selves. But what about adults on the same team, with a corporate objective, and a cooperative mission?

Teams may win or lose collectively, but the most effective teams have the highest number of individual players with a commitment to personal responsibility. When each member strives for personal success within their discipline it carries the team as a whole over the finish line. It also means that if a team member drops the ball and performs below the standard required of them, it is an individual problem with individual consequences, provided enough successful individuals carried the team over the finish line.

The aim of everyone of us who is part of a team, an organization with a specific goal to achieve through a service or product we offer, is to set our sights on own performance, productivity, and production. After all, we are only responsible for ourselves and no one else.