Leadership has a harder job to do than just choosing sides;
it must bring sides together.
— (Jesse Jackson)
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
— (Martin Luther King)
The acid test of outstanding leadership is to take the right action when things are going wrong. Team leaders sooner or later face serious problems. The more common are:
- significant underperformance;
- outstanding professional performers who refuse to be team players;
- interpersonal disagreements between two or more team colleagues;
- crises such as losing a major client, a significant business downturn, a valued colleague leaving and unethical or inappropriate conduct by a member of the team.