Question

Tension was thick in the room as the management team discussed changes to promotion requirements. but then chris made a joke about jake's white-knuckled grip on his pen, and the laughter seemed to improve the mood. chris was acting in a ______ role.

Answer 1

I believe the answer is: Maintenance role

In an organization, people who held the maintenance role would played a crucial role in maintaining a certain level of performance/productivity among other members. This could be done by doing things such as, providing emotional support, relieving working tension, giving counseling for troubled members, etc.