EXPERT (nodding): Sure. If people feel they've been treated unfairly by a change, they can use things like habitual tardiness to send signals to their supervisors. Not that these signals are always read correctly--Linda, what were you feeling when you were talking to Craig about his tardiness?

LINDA: Well, I guess from a supervisor's point of view, I didn't have a lot of sympathy for his character. I think for me, the fact of his being chronically late was the only issue I would have wanted to deal with.

CRAIG: Except, I don't know if that's completely fair to this character's situation. I mean, he does have more work, and he feels that he's been asked to give up more than the others.

LINDA: Sure, but that still doesn't give him the right..

EXPERT (holding up his hand): Okay, let's stop a minute. I think you've both made good points. What I think you're saying, Linda, is that the situation of the moment is the most important situation to deal with.

LINDA: Then and there, right. If I were a supervisor, I've got to think about that situation, as it's developing.

EXPERT: Exactly. No matter what stress is doing to individual employees, you've got a responsibility to the entire organization...which means making sure that everyone works efficiently, and under the same rules.

CRAIG: But there have to be exceptions, don't there? I mean, we're dealing with individuals, aren't we?

EXPERT: Which is why your point is valid too: during a change, some people may have to carry more than a regular share of the new responsibilities--which might lead them to think that they've been singled out, or even punished.

So for supervisors and managers, one of the most important traits is awareness...awareness of their employees, of the situations that are developing, of the dynamics between individuals--

LINDA: But the bottom line has to be keeping the organization working the way it's supposed to work, isn't that right?

EXPERT: Exactly right. You have to strike a balance. If employees are reacting to changes by being tardy, by procrastinating...by overt, noticeable changes in attitudes...these are all signals of stress that have to be dealt with. The question of how you deal with them is what the rest of this program is all about.

[Camera person, from off-camera: "All right, we're set"]

[To crew:] Okay, thanks. [To Craig & Linda:] Okay, now in this next situation, we're going to switch roles--this time, Craig, I want you to be Linda's manager, and Linda, you'll be a supervisor working for Craig. But this time, I want you, especially, Craig, to remember how you're feeling, because I'm going to have Linda improvising a little at the end. (CRAIG: "uh, oh", and laughs.) Now remember, here's the situation you'll be working with... (fade to black)

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