Chapter 6 MHuRi l det eic poFl gernoRimzo el eTYs o, hDue rmo n ’ t The Reality of Modern Role Complexity I t has been another typical day for Lisa Stevens. At 7 a.m. when she left for work, the alternator blew on the car and she spent a miserable half hour at the service station patiently explaining to the mechanic that no, she did not need to talk to her husband before authorizing the re- pair. Once at the office (and by now a full hour late), she was so harried that she nearly missed the early termination clause in the $1.3 billion contract she was signing for the firm, but she saw it in time. Her team of assistants was subjected to the wrath she could not quite dish out to the mechanic (after all, he had her car captive, but she was their boss). “Early termina- tion ... when was the last time I authorized an early termination clause? ... get it out and today ... I want to sign this afternoon.” In the middle of this angry speech, there’s a phone call from Harvey Rund, her most important client. Anger is tossed aside, sweetness and light are all that can be heard from Lisa’s side of the telephone. Relieved, her staff slip out quietly. At 11 a.m. crisis hits. Josh has a fever, says the school nurse, please come and get him. Harvey Rund is due at the office for lunch. Jeff, her
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