Leader in crisis (4)
I believe the answer is:
head
I believe this is a double definition.
'leader' is the first definition.
(head is a kind of leader)
'crisis' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for head that I've seen before include "River source; promontory" , "Skull" , "''and still the wonder grew / That one small ... could carry all he knew'' (Goldsmith)" , "River or stream source" , "See 14" .)