Crossing the desert

Dealing with the Crossing the Desert Syndrome is the true test of a software lead. It strikes at the worst possible time:

• The group is probably running a bit behind and it takes a *lot* of courage to back off and/or replan
  
• The group leader is pretty exhausted, and it's difficult to keep up morale.
  
• It's *really* easy to let things fall farther behind and defer the technical debt from this point in the project towards the end--when it will get really expensive.
  

BTW, I have Behind Closed Doors, but didn't think much of it. I can't warm up to the story telling writing style.