They may operate acceptably when they are addressing everyday life, but when they are faced with something that is a major occurrence they will struggle because they are unsure of how to proceed. They can panic, or they can look for ways to cover up problems, but they will not be effective leaders and/or uphold the quality of leadership they should be providing to their followers (Green, 2010). Stress and upset can do that to anyone, but when that person is in command of others there can be a seriously detrimental effect that spreads out through the police force and into society (Paton, 2003). People should look to the police for help and support, not feel as though officers - and especially the commander - cannot be trusted to protect them. If Blair created an atmosphere of mistrust and did nothing to dispel it, it is no real surprise that he eventually lost support from the mayor and others and decided to step down from his post.
Without support, it is very difficult for a leader to handle his or her job effectively. Leaders need followers, but they also need those who are higher up in the ranks to believe in and appreciate them. Losing that can be devastating, and can shake their confidence very badly. It can also make them uninterested in trying to lead effectively, because they will have the impression that nothing they do will be good enough for the person who is already questioning them. Whether Blair fell victim to this or simply decided he no longer wanted the job is not something that can be known. One can only look at the command related factors that surrounded him. A lack of support in the end may have been part of the issue, but there was also the stress of the job and the problems Blair had faced throughout his career. A litany of cover-ups, mistakes, and poor decisions haunted him, and it was most likely the right choice to step down.
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