A supervisor can respond to a problem either by assuming the role of a persecutor or rescuer. If a supervisor responds from the persecutor role, he puts the worker down for having a problem. If a supervisor responds from the rescuer role, the supervisor tries to solve the problem for the worker. Problems arise in the workplace due to the nature of human beings working together which necessitate supervisory attention. But unfortunately enough, many supervisors are confronted with problems that they do not know how to handle.
Many supervisors have trouble in dealing with workers when they have a problem.
Even if supervisors try to rescue the victim- the worker with a problem does not really want to be helped but continues to live with the monkey on his back. Every supervisor is required to give direction to his worker to make changes in his behaviour if the problem is on the supervisors back. If the supervisors and worker carry monkeys on their back, then relationship behaviour extends to the level of providing socio-emotional support. The supervisor needs to make a high level of supportive intervention if the worker has a monkey on his back but the supervisor sees no problem to himself. If a supportive intervention is not made in this problem situation there is a high profitability that the situation will become a problem to both.