| This year |
| All years |
Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under
it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards
the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs,spray all of the other monkeys
with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the
same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty
soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other
monkeys will try to prevent it.
Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it
with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the
stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the
stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new
one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer
takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth,
then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is
attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they
were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the
beating of the newest monkey.
After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have
ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again
approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not?
Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around
here.
And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.