Leadership Principles

We believe leadership is a verb, not a noun. It’s earned through your actions and trust. As you grow in management at Corporate Tools, you’ll build the skills to lead with clarity, consistency, and care; whether you’re guiding a small team or an entire division. Here’s what we expect from leaders at every level:

M1 – Leading Individuals | ~20 Direct Reports

You set clear daily direction, drive outcomes (not just output), and grow your team’s skills and careers. You create a healthy team environment and set the bar high, for yourself and others.

Core Principles:

  • Start and end the day aligned on goals
  • Measure progress with meaningful metrics
  • Build trust and team cohesion
  • Develop people, whether up or deep
  • Remove roadblocks and empower your team members, don’t just assign tasks

M2 – Leading Managers & Multiple Teams | ~30 People

You build leverage by empowering teams to operate without you. Your systems are scalable, your managers are growing, and your groups are aligned with a higher purpose.

Core Principles:

  • Optimize systems, not just tasks
  • Empower autonomy across teams
  • Mentor M1s and develop future managers
  • Link daily execution to strategic goals
  • Build and guide cross-team collaboration

M3 – Leading Managers of Managers | 50–100 People

You drive progress at scale by aligning departments with company-wide goals. You mentor managers, solve high-impact problems, and support strategic initiatives without needing oversight.

Core Principles:

  • Align teams to business priorities
  • Develop and empower M1s and M2s
  • Deliver outcomes that matter
  • Solve big problems with minimal direction
  • Lead with trust, clarity, and high standards

M4 – Leading Directors | 100–500 People

You turn company strategy into cross-functional execution. You lead large-scale projects, elevate teams and culture, and drive transformational business outcomes.

Core Principles:

  • Execute complex initiatives across functions
  • Develop strong Directors and high-trust environments
  • Build vibrant, freedom-based cultures
  • Translate executive vision into action
  • Lead with high standards, autonomy, and clarity

M5 – Leading at the Enterprise Level | 500+ People

You shape the future of the company. You lead multi-year initiatives, simplify complexity, and ensure your entire division delivers results that transform the business.

Core Principles:

  • You’re a doer, not a thought leader
  • Play the long game
  • Turn vision into action across layers with clear directives
  • Create a vibrant and engaging culture
  • Represent the company in the market
  • Prioritize why over what