What greatly affects the intensity of the TENSION challenge a leader feels?

The intensity of the TENSION challenge a leader feels is significantly influenced by the clarity of authority and responsibility. When a leader has a well-defined understanding of their roles and the boundaries of their authority, they can navigate challenges more effectively. This clarity helps reduce uncertainty and stress, leading to a more focused and confident approach to leadership tasks. Without clear boundaries, a leader may struggle with decision-making and accountability, which heightens feelings of tension.

In contrast, personal resilience, years of experience, and support level are important factors as well, but they do not directly address the foundational understanding of a leader's role and how that role interacts with their environment. Resilience may help a leader cope with challenges, experience can enhance skills over time, and support can provide encouragement, yet these elements do not primarily mitigate the tension that arises from ambiguity in authority and responsibility.