Leadership in Action: Pressure Cooking: Real Leaders Thrive When the Chips are Down

DIFFICULT TIMES

As if this routine situation does not constitute a sufficiently demanding challenge, leaders are doubly or even exponentially tested when times are tough.

Good economic climates can hide many of the flaws in corporations, and poor leadership and inept leaders often go unnoticed in such favorable times. Too often, as long as results are delivered, there are few questions asked about how they are delivered.

Things are very different when times are tough. Leaders have never been more highly visible than during the recent dramatic difficulties facing the business world. This has been a roller-coaster environment that has engulfed large corporations that once seemed untouchable. This is when outstanding leadership is so crucial, but ...