A problem that one person avoids remains one person's problem. A problem that a leader avoids becomes the team's problem, often in a form that is larger, more entrenched, and harder to address than it would have been at the start. The calculus is different for a leader because the consequences of avoidance do not stay contained. They compound, and they compound quietly, which is what makes it dangerous.

Ethical breakdown rarely starts with a dramatic act. It begins earlier, when responsibility remains vague and no clear standard exists to guide decisions under pressure.