In this lesson's discussion "Managing Change: Every Penny Counts" we noted, "Traditional views of change reflect the pace of world travelers, from the earliest days of commerce to nineteenth century transatlantic luxury liners. Twenty-first century changes are as fast as hydroplane speed racers-and often as breathtakingly adventurous as navigating a raging river."

Well, the river is raging, and bad news is about to flow downstream. As the supervisor, you are planning the meeting announcing that the company is having difficulties with finances and will have to cut back. In traditional ocean liner times, that might have meant, "We have to revise our three year plan." In contemporary change, it means, "Unless we do something right now, we may close in 90 days!"

The memo from the CEO says, "Your department of 10 employees--00,000 of weekly gross revenues against 0,000 of weekly departmental expenses--must find ways to reduce departmental expenses by 10%." After reading the memo, you may be thinking, "The more things change, the more things stay the same!"

Prepare a two-page agenda with supervisory notes to announce and interpret this memo to your department of 10 employees and meet that goal of 10% savings. Be creative. Explore ways to get employees to brainstorm, explore alternatives such as flexible schedules, creating new products or services, and so on.